FG mulls revamp of Nigerian textile industry

The Federal Government has begun plans to revamp the textile industries in Nigeria to leverage its job creation potential.

To this end, Vice President Kashim Shettima hosted a number of stakeholders at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday, where stakeholders, including the governors of Lagos and Imo State, attended to harvest ideas on how best to go about revamping the moribund industries.

Recall that Nigeria was a net producer of cotton used in the production of textiles, with major industrial hubs located in Lagos and Kaduna States.However, the sector dwindled over the years in production, leading to mass retrenchment of workers, partly attributed to government policies and neglect of the sector.

Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma said it was germane for those at the helm of affairs to do everything within their power to stimulate the Nigerian economy, hence the buy-in of governors to the project.

“Like the United Nations Cotton Manufacturing, the entire production chain of cotton is up to 10 sides and the whole idea is to leverage this opportunity to revamp the industries in Nigeria, which many of them are now moribund, particularly in the cotton and textile sector.

“This is a new opportunity that is creating a new partnership for us to cross-pollinate ideas with experts, to bring new skills, new ideas and new innovations into revamping the industries in Nigeria, and that will create jobs and engage our young men and women who are currently roaming the streets.

“So, for me, I am very excited to be part of this conversation that will now revamp the economy of the country. It is a new partnership which we will leverage.

“Before this time, you will agree with me, in Lagos State, Isolo area to be precise, you see so many textile industries. Kaduna was famous as a centre for cotton production and textile mills. In the northern areas, the land was very fertile for growing cotton and then processing cotton. So I think we need to stimulate the economy. We need to create more jobs, we need to redefine Nigeria. We need to engage our young men and women, and then align properly with the new digital age for production and economic stimulation,” he said.

Corroborating, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu urged Nigerians to patronise made-in-Nigeria textiles because of the impact it would have on our economy.

He said the industries have the potential of engaging over 15 to 20 million Nigerians, hence the critical nature of the sector.

“If we are growing cotton, are we ready to patronise the ones we are producing locally? Because that’s one issue the textile manufacturers raised, that when they manufacture fabrics many persons prefer the ones from Italy? So, I think the explanation has been made. Part of the things that you see with our garment manufacturer is actually polyester, not cotton. And polyester happens to be cheaper than cotton. You know, cotton is a higher grade to sew as against using polyester if our refineries were working for what we’ve also been made to understand now is actually supposed to be one of the byproducts coming out from the refinery.

“So, really, for us, it is to look at the entire value chain. There are so many things that we can track back in this country, and that’s why we say to ourselves, let’s produce what we use. Let’s use what we produce.”Let’s go back to our garment, cotton edges. The statistics show that it was employing directly and indirectly, almost 15 to 18 million Nigerians in that entire value chain. If you can bring back that, even if it’s 5 million in the next one to two years, it will take us further away.

“We’ve seen the Institute, which is, like they said, like the United Nations, equivalent of the cotton industry in the world, coming here to support, to help us. Mr. Vice President has given us a marching order and a commitment, which I think is great news that everybody must take away from here and he has given them a roadmap for us to go and work with them,” Sanwo-Olu stated.