The Federal Government of Nigeria has pledged to revitalize the nation’s textile industry and implement policies that ensure a level playing field for local manufacturers.
The Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, made this commitment on Wednesday during a visit to Sunflag Nigeria Limited, a textile manufacturing company in Lagos, as part of a three-day industrial tour.
Enoh recognized the decline of Nigeria’s textile industry, recalling its former status as a key employer.
He assured stakeholders of renewed government support and pledged policies to revive local production while tackling challenges like smuggling and import competition.
“Several years ago, the textile industry competed almost fairly with the government in terms of the employment of our Nigerian people,” he said.
“The government of President Bola Tinubu has an eight-point agenda, and almost every aspect of it is concerned with job creation. Agenda Seven is about diversifying our economy through industry and manufacturing.”
He criticized the unchecked importation of second-hand clothing and textiles, citing them as key factors crippling the industry.
Emphasizing the scale of the issue, he noting “Three hundred containers come into this country daily, unaccounted for. They pay no duties, whereas you do, and that’s the level playing field you’re talking about.
“I have noted the few pointers you mentioned and assure you that we are determined to make a positive change and see how we can get the textile industry to once again flourish.”
The minister stated that the Ministry of Industry would hold a session on Cotton, Textiles, and Garments within two weeks to engage stakeholders in finding solutions. “We need to see what needs to be done to get this sector right,” he emphasized.
The minister assured industry players that the Tinubu administration was committed to reviving the textile sector, adding “If there is a government that will change this situation, it is the government of President Tinubu. We are determined to make a positive change and see this industry flourish again.”
The Managing Director of Sunflag Nigeria Limited, Alok Bhardwaj, expressed concern over the textile sector’s decline, noting that employment had plummeted from 250,000 in the 1980s to just 10,000 today.
“Sunflag Nigeria has been here since 1961. We have been (engaged) only in the textile manufacturing industry,” Bhardwaj noted. “When we say that we manufacture, we do not trade but only produce and we utilise everything that Nigeria has to offer. Nigerian people, land and cotton. From there we make Nigerian yarn, wool, towels, African print, school uniforms, sewing thread, suits, and fabric for the manufacturing of mattresses.
“From 1985 to 1990 we had 250,000 employees with more than 250 companies producing textiles in Nigeria. As of today, there are close to 10,000 employees. Out of the 10,000, Sunflag Nigeria employs 3,500 of them.”
Sunflag’s MD urged the government to safeguard the textile industry, citing the United States as an example of effective industry protection.
“Just like President Trump protected American workers and industries, why can’t we do the same? Nigeria imports $6bn worth of textiles annually, employing 750,000 Chinese and Indian workers while only 10,000 Nigerians work in the sector,” he said.
Bhardwaj further explained the impact of second-hand clothing imports on local tailors, stating “About 1.5 million Nigerian tailors are affected by the influx of used clothing. If even 10 per cent of these imports are reduced, it would have a dramatic effect on employment.”
