Leather and Public Health Nutrition: Exploring the Layers beyond the Surface

Leather production is a vital sector in Nigeria, contributing to livelihoods, exports, and cultural heritage.However, its hidden costs-particularly the nutritional and health impacts of environmental contamination-remain poorly understood.This trend editorial highlights how tannery effluents and waste, often laden with heavy metals, contaminate soil, water, and food crops, thereby threatening food safety and public health nutrition.Vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women face heightened risks of anaemia, stunting, and micronutrient deficiencies due to chronic exposure.Drawing lessons from South Asia, the paper emphasizes the need for low-cost effluent treatment technologies, circular economy solutions for chromium recovery, and stronger policy enforcement.Major research gaps, including human biomonitoring and dietary risk assessments, must be urgently addressed.Framing leather not only as an economic asset but also as a determinant of nutritional health can guide Nigeria and West Africa toward a more sustainable and health-conscious leather industry.