Nigerian Institute of Leather Sciences and Technology, Samaru, Zaria

The Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST) is a federal institution at Samaru, Zaria, Kaduna State, located at 3 Leather Research Road, off Sokoto Road, adjacent to the main gate of Ahmadu Bello University. It is the national institution for training and research in leather and leather products technology, and its mandate is to provide courses of instruction and training and to carry out research and development on leather technologies and the production of leather goods.

Teaching is offered at Ordinary Diploma (OD), National Diploma (ND), Higher Diploma (HD) and Higher National Diploma (HND) levels. Programme areas include Leather Technology, Leather Manufacture, Footwear Technology, Footwear Design and Innovation, Hide and Skin Improvement, Production Management, Science Laboratory Technology, Polymer Technology, Industrial Chemical and Processing Technology, Pollution and Environmental Technology and Computer Science.

Academic work is organised through directorates, among them the Directorate of Leather and Leather Products Technology (departments of Leather Technology, Footwear Design and Innovation, Footwear Manufacture and Footwear Technology), the Directorate of Academic Planning (departments of General Studies and Library), the Directorate of Research and Development Extension Services, the Directorate of Science Technology, and the Directorate of Polymer and Environmental Technology. Administrative directorates cover Admin Services, Finance and Accounts, and Works and Infrastructure Development.

The Institute makes leather goods, boots and customised footwear, and its products are shown at national exhibitions organised by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. The leather boxes used for the presentation of the national budgets of 2018, 2019 and 2020 were designed and produced at NILEST. Student life includes athletics with participation in inter-school, state and national competitions, in-house publications, and performing arts and music including dance, drama and painting.

NILEST is a federal parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and is led by a Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Auwal Mustapha Imam. It matriculated about 500 new students for the 2020/21 and 2021/2022 academic sessions.