From Italian training to Lagos: Nigerian founder builds safety-shoe empire

Yinka Atunde did not plan to become a shoemaker. A computer science graduate of Babcock University in Nigeria, he was waiting to begin his mandatory national service when the delay forced him to reconsider. He chose Italy—specifically, the footwear districts of Marche—to learn the trade from the ground up. What began as a temporary detour has become, according to Business Insider Africa, the foundation of West Africa's largest safety-footwear company, now backed by $1.5 million in capital.

Atunde's journey mirrors a pattern long familiar to Marche's shoe manufacturers: the export of craft knowledge through apprenticeship and factory work. He trained in Italian workshops, then returned to Nigeria to apply what he had learned in Lagos factories before launching his own production. His company began modestly—just 20 pairs of shoes—but has since scaled to become a regional leader in safety footwear, a market segment that demands both technical precision and understanding of local workplace conditions.

The story signals how Marche's industrial districts, often described in foreign economic coverage as insular clusters, continue to export expertise through individual founders and returning workers. Atunde's success in Lagos suggests that the model of learning-by-doing in Italian workshops remains viable even as the global footwear supply chain fragments. His capital raise—substantial by West African standards—reflects growing investor interest in African manufacturing and safety-equipment sectors.