The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) said Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals’ polypropylene production would help to revive Nigeria’s struggling textile industry and significantly reduce the country’s reliance on imports.

MAN said the locally produced polypropylene would save Nigeria an estimated $267 million in import costs, strengthening the country’s industrial sector.

Director-General of MAN, Segun Kadir-Ajayi, during a TV interview, highlighted the decline of Nigeria’s once-thriving textile industry, which previously employed over 25,000 workers aged 18 to 40 in the northern region alone.

He noted that Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals’ production of polypropylene would significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports, as the country currently imports 90 per cent of its annual polypropylene needs, which is approximately 250,000 metric tonnes. This shift, according to him is expected to position Nigeria as a net exporter, boosting foreign exchange earnings and strengthening the economy.

“For us in the manufacturing sector, this is a welcome development. It more than covers the 250,000 metric tons that constitute our national demand, which has been severely lacking.

“You can imagine the sectors it will impact – the textile industry, the plastic industry, the furniture industry. We are looking at an amount in the region of $267 million being saved. This is the amount spent every year in scarce dollars to import these materials. It is a welcome development for manufacturers, as it will incentivise investment in the sector,” he said.

He noted that the absence of local polypropylene production, coupled with the scarcity of foreign exchange for imports, has forced many companies to shut down. Lamenting the collapse of the textile industry and its impact on widespread unemployment, Kadir emphasized that local polypropylene production will eliminate manufacturers’ dependence on imports, reducing costs and improving efficiency.

“We have seen the global trend of the textile industry relying on the petrochemical industry. So, you can imagine what boost this is going to bring to the sector, that it is now available locally and does not require that we continue to look for foreign exchange to be able to meet our demands. It is encouraging news for manufacturers,” he said.

He called on the federal government and relevant stakeholders to incentivize local polypropylene production, emphasizing that such support would attract increased investment in the sector and boost manufacturing’s contribution to GDP. He added that this would play a crucial role in achieving the government’s target of a $1 trillion economy.