Nigeria’s Textile Imports Hit N814bn Amid Sector Struggles
Nigeria imported textiles worth N814.27 billion in the first nine months of 2025, highlighting the continuing challenges faced by the domestic industry despite government claims of sector revival. Analysts and industry stakeholders say the surge in imports reflects a weakening local textile industry and growing reliance on foreign fabrics.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that textile imports reached N228.83 billion in the first quarter, N337.12 billion in the second, and N248.32 billion in the third quarter, totaling N814.27 billion from January to September. This represents a 47.43 percent increase compared to N552.31 billion recorded in the same period in 2024.
Industry operators blame the rising importation on failed government interventions, weak execution of credit facilities, corruption, and structural challenges including low cotton production, insecurity, and insufficient locally produced polyester.
Hamma Kwajaffa, Director-General of the Nigerian Textile Manufacturers Association (NTMA), said the figures underscore that government policies on textile revival remain largely rhetorical.
“The import surge shows why a textile levy is important. The funds from this levy were meant to be reinvested in the industry to boost local production and competitiveness. But instead, the government treats it as general revenue rather than supporting manufacturers,” Kwajaffa explained.
He noted that although a 10 percent levy was introduced after the lifting of the textile import ban, no money has been ploughed back into the sector. Kwajaffa criticised the lack of a dedicated textile development fund with the Bank of Industry (BOI), pointing out that other sectors, like sugar, have benefitted from similar levies due to strong institutional backing.
“The levy should have created a textile development fund at the BOI, but this hasn’t been implemented. The government prioritises the sugar council levy instead,” he said, adding that conflicting statements from top officials, including the Vice President and the Minister of State for Industry, have stalled meaningful action.
The Federal Government has repeatedly announced plans to revitalise the sector. In August 2024, Vice-President Kashim Shettima called for a roadmap to boost cotton and textile production, while the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment pledged to “localise up to $4 billion in spending on textile imports.” The Ministry also planned collaborations with the BOI to provide financing and machinery to operators, with facility tours in Kaduna State intended to kickstart the initiative.
Despite these efforts, Kwajaffa said the reforms have been slow and ineffective. “Workshops and announcements alone have yielded no results. The communiqués often gather dust in civil servants’ drawers,” he lamented. He urged the government to domicile the textile levy with the BOI and deploy it transparently to support firms struggling with high energy costs and weak infrastructure.
Kwajaffa also highlighted systemic corruption, noting that grant and credit programmes often fail because officials expect personal kickbacks. “Corruption is killing the sector. Nothing moves in the interest of ordinary Nigerians,” he said.
Other structural challenges, he added, include weak cotton farming. “Cotton production is mostly smallholder-based and poorly mechanised. Extension officers cannot visit farms due to insecurity, and the government underfunds the sector,” Kwajaffa said. Local manufacturers also face difficulty accessing affordable polyester despite Nigeria being an oil producer.
Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), warned that rising textile imports continue to threaten domestic production. “The heavy influx of finished textiles discourages local manufacturing. Many domestic firms have shut down because they cannot compete with dumped foreign products,” he said, recalling that Kaduna State once hosted at least six textile companies, but now has none. He also noted that backward integration into cotton farming has suffered, with producers opting to export rather than supply local mills.
