By Toyin Victor, ABUJA
Nigeria’s footwear manufacturing industry could benefit from Spanish technology, technical expertise and industrial partnerships following a strategic engagement between Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, and leading footwear industry representatives in Alicante Province.
According to a statement issued by the Embassy of Nigeria in Madrid, Ikpeazu held discussions on Monday, November 2, 2026, with the President of the Valencian Association of Footwear Manufacturers and Entrepreneurs, AVECAL, Vicente Pastor Perez, alongside representatives of INESCOP, Pikolinos and Hispanitas.
The Ambassador, accompanied by the Embassy’s Senior Counsellor, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, and First Secretary, Likson Dadi, visited INESCOP, a footwear technology centre in Elda, Alicante, renowned for its work in footwear design, materials development and manufacturing innovation.
During a tour of the facility, INESCOP’s Director of Technologies and Materials, Elena Orgilés Calpena, showcased its technological capabilities and manufacturing processes, while discussions explored opportunities for technical cooperation, training, quality management and technology transfer to Nigerian footwear manufacturers.
The engagement also examined ways to strengthen the capacity of Nigerian technicians, manufacturers and industry support organisations through specialised training, certification, sustainable production methods and improved manufacturing standards.
At separate meetings with AVECAL, Pikolinos and Hispanitas, Ikpeazu highlighted the ingenuity of Nigerian entrepreneurs, noting that local manufacturers already produce different categories of footwear despite operating with limited technological resources.
He said the Nigerian Embassy was prepared to facilitate direct engagements between interested Nigerian footwear entrepreneurs and Spanish industry players, including business-to-business meetings aimed at building practical partnerships.
Discussions with AVECAL focused on structured industry cooperation, knowledge-sharing platforms and joint programmes, while engagements with Pikolinos explored production processes and opportunities to modernise Nigerian footwear manufacturing. The Ambassador also visited Hispanitas’ facilities and AVECAL’s headquarters.
The President of AVECAL expressed the association’s willingness to work with the Nigerian Embassy to establish the necessary arrangements for Spanish footwear businesses to engage with Nigerian manufacturers. Spanish industry representatives also indicated readiness to explore technical exchanges, training attachments and other areas of cooperation.
Ikpeazu said closer ties with Spain’s established footwear industry, particularly in the Valencia region, could help Nigerian manufacturers improve production capacity, product quality and international competitiveness. The visit forms part of the Nigerian Mission’s economic diplomacy drive to attract investment, strengthen manufacturing partnerships and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ongoing economic reform agenda.