KEY POINTS

• Nigeria textile imports rose 47 permanent to N814.27 billion in nine months.
• Nigeria textile imports highlight stalled policy and funding failures.
• Local manufacturers struggle to compete with cheap foreign fabrics.

Nigeria’s textile imports climbed to N814.27 billion in the first nine months of 2025, highlighting the widening gap between official promises to revive the sector and the reality on the ground for manufacturers.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics show textile and textile article imports totaled N228.83 billion in the first quarter, rose to N337.12 billion in the second, and eased to N248.32 billion in the third. The January-to-September figure marks a 47.43 percent increase from the N552.31 billion recorded over the same period in 2024.

Industry executives say the import surge reflects a weakening domestic base and deepening reliance on foreign fabrics, driven by policy inconsistency, poor execution of funding programmes and long-standing structural constraints.

Nigeria textile imports expose policy failure

Hamma Kwajaffa, director-general of the Nigerian Textile Manufacturers Association, said the growing import bill shows that government rhetoric around sector revival has not translated into action. He said the government introduced a 10 percent levy after lifting the textile import ban and intended to reinvest it in local production.

“That fund was designed to make Nigerian textiles competitive,” Kwajaffa said. “But once the money comes in, government treats it as general revenue. Nothing has been ploughed back into the industry since inception.”

Kwajaffa said unlike the sugar sector, which benefits from a dedicated development council and levy-backed fund, textiles lack an institutional framework. He called for a textile development fund domiciled at the Bank of Industry, arguing that access to affordable, predictable finance remains elusive for operators battling high energy costs and weak infrastructure.

Nigeria textile imports rise despite pledges

The surge in Nigeria textile imports comes despite repeated assurances from the Federal Government. In August 2024, Vice President Kashim Shettima urged stakeholders to produce a revival roadmap, while the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment later said it aimed to localise up to $4 billion in textile spending.

Manufacturers say those plans have stalled. Kwajaffa cited policy incoherence across government agencies, insecurity disrupting cotton farming, and limited access to polyester despite Nigeria’s crude oil output. He also alleged corruption has undermined credit and grant schemes meant to support manufacturers.

Segun Ajayi-Kadir, director-general of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, earlier warned that importers were dumping cheap textiles into the local market, forcing domestic producers to shut down. He noted that Kaduna State, once home to several textile firms, now has none.

Without decisive reforms, industry leaders warn imports will continue to crowd out local production.