Textile imports hit N566bn in H1 2025 as local industries struggle

Nigeria spent N565.96 billion on textiles and textile articles in the first half of 2025, according to new data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The surge, which represents a 56.6 per cent increase from N361.39 billion in the same period of 2024, has deepened concerns about the survival of the country’s textile industry.

The second quarter of 2025 alone saw imports worth N337.12 billion, up 84.3 per cent from N182.95 billion recorded in Q2 2024. The rise follows a steady upward trend, with Nigeria importing N726.18 billion worth of textiles in 2024—nearly double the N377.47 billion spent in 2023.

Despite ongoing promises under the Cotton-Textile-Garment (CTG) revival programme, stakeholders say rising import dependence is stifling local production and eroding jobs.

In April, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment unveiled a plan to localise up to $4 billion of textile spending, pledging to boost manufacturing and create jobs. The ministry also launched a campaign to promote locally made garments in government offices, citing Ogun State as a model. By August, officials had begun site visits to Kaduna, once Nigeria’s textile hub.

Yet industry leaders argue that progress remains slow. The Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, told The PUNCH that the sector is deteriorating.

“The textile industry has had its downturn, and to the best of my knowledge, there has not been much progress in the core functions that deliver value for investment,” he said.

Ajayi-Kadir blamed the influx of cheap, often dumped imports for wiping out local competitiveness. He recalled that Kaduna once hosted six factories under MAN’s coverage, but now has none. Cotton farming, once central to the industry, has also weakened as producers prefer exports over supplying struggling local mills.

He warned that blanket import bans would worsen smuggling, urging instead for tariff differentials and quota systems to balance industry protection with market stability.

Some players in the fashion sector see opportunity in the crisis. Bukola Ajani, President of the Association of Women in Fashion Tech, noted that naira devaluation is pushing many businesses toward local sourcing.

“Before, people went to China or Turkey for production. Now the cost of importing is too high. It’s better to produce locally. As Nigerians are looking inward, foreigners are also exploring the cheap labour here,” she said.

Once one of Nigeria’s largest employers, the textile industry has been undermined by policy inconsistency, smuggling, and infrastructure gaps. Although government officials maintain that reviving the sector is a priority, the ballooning import bill tells another story.

Industry experts warn that without decisive action, Nigeria risks losing an industry with huge job-creation potential. “Textile manufacturing has the capacity to employ millions if properly supported,” Ajayi-Kadir said. “But if imports continue at this pace, the industry will remain on life support.”

With over half a trillion naira spent on textile imports in just six months, analysts say policymakers now face a clear choice: continue a costly dependency or build a competitive domestic industry that can meet Nigeria’s vast demand.