Nigeria’s dependence on imported textiles deepened in the first nine months of 2025, with imports rising to N814.27bn despite repeated government assurances of reviving the sector. The increase reflects structural weaknesses in local production and continued reliance on foreign fabrics.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that textile imports amounted to N228.83bn in the first quarter, N337.12bn in the second, and N248.32bn in the third quarter, representing a 47.43 per cent rise compared to N552.31bn recorded in the same period of 2024. Industry operators attributed the surge to policy failures, weak execution of credit initiatives, and pervasive corruption.
Stakeholders highlighted poor implementation of government interventions, limited access to affordable finance through the Bank of Industry, abandoned institutional reforms, and structural bottlenecks, including weak cotton farming, insecurity, and difficulties in scaling locally produced polyester. Hamma Kwajaffa, Director-General of the Nigerian Textile Manufacturers Association, said the rising import bill underscored that government revival policies had largely remained rhetorical.
Kwajaffa urged the government to ensure that the 10 per cent textile levy, introduced when import bans were lifted, is reinvested into the sector to improve competitiveness and reduce import dependence. He noted that repeated workshops and policy announcements had produced little tangible outcome, calling for a transparent institutional framework that domiciles the textile levy with the BOI and channels funds directly to struggling manufacturers.
Corruption was also cited as a major barrier, with grant and credit programmes frequently undermined by demands for kickbacks. Weak cotton production, largely smallholder-based and poorly mechanised, and limited access to affordable polyester further constrained local manufacturers, despite Nigeria being a crude oil producer.
Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, warned that the heavy influx of finished textiles discouraged domestic production, with local firms unable to compete and gradually exiting the market. He noted that Kaduna State, once home to at least six textile companies, now hosts none, highlighting the severe impact of policy gaps and import competition on the domestic textile industry.
