Manufacturers lament the state of textile industry

The Nigerian Textiles Manufacturers Association (NTMA) said the problems facing the industry were multi-faceted and required comprehensive solution.
They also called on the Federal Government to provide a recovery package for the industry to revive it and engender its sustainable development.
NTMA President, Folorunsho Daniyan, said that the problems include lack of sufficient electricity supply, counterfeiting and smuggling. Experts said if smuggling was reduced by 20 per cent, about 40 textile firms would come back.
He expressed optimism that with continued advocacy and increased support by the government, the sky would be the limit for the industry, adding that a viable textile industry could provide jobs for thousands of Nigerians.
“A major problem in the textile industry is cost of energy – cost of gas for those in the south and black oil for those in the north that are yet to be connected to the gas pipeline. The government recently approved gas tariff for textiles which is yet to come into full operation,” Daniyan said.
He however praised the government for its commitment to reviving the industry with the various intervention programmes.
According to him, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been doing a lot through the banning of forex to textile traders, adding that the Customs should support them to realise that objective.
“We are advocating that the government set up a textile task force to combat smuggling of textiles as recently done in Ghana. A minimum value should be fixed for textiles coming into Nigeria, as it is ridiculous for textiles to sell at N700 most of which are not healthy for the skin,” Daniyan said.
The textile industry, which used to have about 95 companies has been one of Nigeria’s largest and oldest manufacturing sectors, rated third in Africa behind Egypt and South Africa in terms of employment and exports.