Dr. Isaack Noor Champions Ewaso Ng’iro Tannery as a Game-Changer for Kenya’s Leather Industry
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By John Kariuki
Dr. Isaack Noor, CEO of the Kenya Leather Development Council, is leading a bold push to transform Kenya’s leather sector through the Ewaso Ng’iro Tannery and Leather Factory in Narok County. Commissioned by President William Ruto in May 2025, the facility is central to the government’s industrial transformation agenda.
Under Dr. Noor’s leadership, the tannery is reviving the leather value chain by processing raw hides into finished leather, ready for use in shoes, bags, upholstery, and more. It follows a full production cycle—from selection and soaking to liming, tanning, drying, and finishing—combining both chemical and mechanical treatments to deliver premium quality leather.
The tannery currently employs 150 locals and offers industrial training to 17 students from universities and polytechnics, giving them hands-on experience in leather technology and engineering. These capacity-building efforts reflect Dr. Noor’s focus on developing practical skills and creating rural employment opportunities.
A standout innovation is the tannery’s pricing model: buying leather by weight and selling by area, ensuring value addition and better returns. The facility also supports SMEs engaged in leather goods production, helping to drive job creation at a 1:10 ratio across the value chain.
Dr. Noor envisions the factory as a model for rural industrialization—commercially viable, environmentally conscious, and locally empowering. With its mix of job creation, skills development, and market competitiveness, the Ewaso Ng’iro Tannery is well on track to start turning a profit within its first year.
His leadership is positioning Kenya as a serious contender in the regional and global leather markets, with the tannery serving as a blueprint for future industrial hubs.
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