The Federal Government is developing a resurgence plan for the cotton, textile and apparel industry in Nigeria in collaboration with development partners and the private sector.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, disclosed this while reviewing the activities of the ministry in the last one year, adding that about $3.5 billion investments were secured within the period to rejuvenate the moribund sector.
She noted that the textile sector encompasses the complete clothing value chain in Nigeria, adding that investment in the textile industry will generate employment for both skilled and unskilled labour across the country.
Uzoka-Anite stated: “The Ministry is developing a resurgence plan for the Nigeria cotton, textile and apparel industry in partnership with development partners and private sector players. We have attracted $3.5 billion to unlock the textile, cotton and apparel industry.
“As you know, Nigeria’s textile and apparel industry covers the entire clothing value chain and has a strong potential for growth due to the availability of cotton and the country’s market size.
“This industry is one of the top contributors to the manufacturing sector of the economy with huge potential for employment for both skilled and unskilled labour with extensive capacity for generating export earnings and attracting foreign direct investment, therefore reducing poverty.”
Nigeria’s textile industry has struggled over the years despite the country’s huge market potential for cotton production.
Nigeria was an industrial hub for textile production in the 1970s and 1980s, boasting about 180 textile mills, and employing more than one million Nigerians.
Among these were United Nigerian Textile Limited, Aswani Textile, Afprint, Asaba Textile Mills, and Edo Textile Mills, among others.
However, by the 1990s, most of the companies disappeared, facing obstacles such as rampant smuggling, unchecked importation, erratic power supply, unpredictable government policies, and growing insecurity which rendered them uncompetitive.
