Nigeria’s footwear manufacturing industry received a significant boost as Yikodeen Company Ltd said it has expanded its production facility in Ejigbo in Lagos.
 
This expansion would further position it as one of the largest safety footwear manufacturers in West Africa and reinforce the country’s drive towards industrial self-sufficiency.
 
The expanded facility has increased the company’s production capacity from a modest output of about 20 pairs of safety footwear per day at inception to over 5,000 pairs daily, demonstrating the growing potential of local manufacturing in meeting domestic and regional industrial demands.
 
The development came as Yikodeen celebrates a decade in business, marking 10 years of growth, innovation and investment in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.
 
Since commencing operations in 2016, the company has noted that it has produced over five million pairs of industrial safety footwear, supplying critical sectors including oil and gas, construction, manufacturing and other heavy industries.
 
Speaking during the company’s 10th anniversary corporate dinner and awards night held in Lagos, the company’s founder, Atunde Olayinka, said the expansion reflected the company’s commitment to proving that Nigerian manufacturers could compete successfully with global brands.

According to him, the company was founded on the belief that locally manufactured safety footwear could meet international quality standards despite the challenges facing the country’s manufacturing sector.

He noted that its growth over the last decade demonstrated the capability of Nigerian manufacturers to produce globally competitive products while contributing to industrial development and economic growth.

Beyond expanding production capacity, Yikodeen has invested heavily in workforce development and technical expertise.

Women account for about 61 per cent of the company’s workforce, while over 200 individuals have benefited from its vocational training programmes designed to strengthen local manufacturing skills.

The company currently manufactures 33 certified safety footwear models and operates a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) testing laboratory certified by international organisations, including TUV, Intertek and SGS, further enhancing Nigeria’s capacity for quality assurance and product certification.

The Chief Operating Officer, Deji Maradesa, said the company’s strategy was anchored on continuous improvement, innovation and adherence to global standards.
  
“We never set out simply to just make shoes. Our objective was to build industrial safety solutions that could compete with international brands in quality, durability and performance,” he said.

They pointed out how the expanded facility represents an example of how local manufacturing investments can strengthen Nigeria’s industrial ecosystem, deepen local content participation and position the country as a regional hub for safety footwear production.