Femi Olayebi is the founder of Lagos Leather Fair , a platform that showcases, celebrates and promotes talents and craftsmanship within the Nigerian leather industry. Olayebi, a French graduate from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and a translator, is also the creative brain behind FemiHandbags. She became an entrepreneur accidentally in 1992 when she tried her hands at making a baby bag for her first baby.
The theme “Levelling Up” for LLF this year aims to advance the narrative within the leather ecosystem by finding concrete ways of improving and strengthening the supply chain. It reflects a call to action to elevate the industry to new heights, embrace innovation, seize opportunities for growth, development and expand market reach.
The LLF Accelerator is a mentoring concept and the primary objective is to guide and empower emerging leather creative with invaluable resources and industry knowledge to develop themselves and their businesses. By participating in this design and development programme, the selected brands will gain invaluable first-hand insights from industry experts and seasoned entrepreneurs, who will share their experiences and equip them with the necessary tools to thrive and grow their businesses.
At the end of the programme, the top ten participants will be given the opportunity of showcasing their work for free at the fair aside pitching their businesses to a panel of investors for a chance to secure equity-free funding, the much-needed capital to take them to the next level.
In what ways do you anticipate the Accelerator Programme will impact the leather industry in West Africa?