Senate Seeks Ban on Textile Imports to Revive Local Industry
The Senate on Tuesday called for a total ban on the importation of textile products into Nigeria as part of efforts to revive the country’s once-thriving textile industry, boost local production, and create employment opportunities for millions of Nigerians.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Katung and co-sponsored by several lawmakers, including Senators Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Adams Oshiomhole, Mohammed Monguno, Ibrahim Khalid, and Mustapha Khabeeb.
Leading the debate, Katung lamented the steady decline of an industry that was once among Nigeria’s largest employers of labour and a major contributor to the national economy.
He recalled that Nigeria’s first large-scale textile manufacturing mill was established in Kaduna in 1957 and noted that government policies in the 1960s and 1970s helped the sector flourish.
According to him, the country had about 167 textile mills in operation during the late 1970s and 1980s, providing direct employment for nearly 500,000 workers and supporting millions of others through related economic activities.
Katung added that Kaduna earned the nickname “Textile City” because of the concentration of major textile manufacturing companies operating in the state at the time.
Several lawmakers who contributed to the debate attributed the industry’s collapse to inadequate government protection, rampant smuggling, poor infrastructure, and the influx of cheaper imported textile products.
Senator Jibrin Isah urged the National Assembly to work closely with relevant government agencies to ensure that the Senate’s resolutions translate into concrete action.
“This motion is very important, but I don’t want it to suffer the fate of many previous motions,” he said.
“We must engage the Ministry of Industry and other stakeholders to develop a practical framework for implementation. This requires deliberate financial engineering and proper structuring.”
Also speaking, Senator Ogoshi Onawo argued that reviving the textile sector could significantly reduce unemployment and help address rising insecurity across the country.
“This motion could not have come at a better time,” he said.
“Many of the challenges confronting our nation today are linked to unemployment among our youths. Reviving the textile industry will create jobs, engage farmers, stimulate economic activities, and ultimately make the country better.”
Senator Adamu Aliero also supported a comprehensive ban on textile imports, describing it as a necessary step towards protecting local manufacturers and revitalising cotton production.
“Nigeria was once one of the world’s leading cotton producers,” he said.
“We produced large quantities of cotton, but due to weak protection policies and widespread smuggling, textile mills began shutting down while imported fabrics flooded our markets, particularly from Asia.”
“If we are serious about reviving the industry, a total ban on textile imports remains the most viable solution.”
Following a voice vote, the Senate urged the Federal Government, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to take immediate steps to revive textile industries across the country.
The upper chamber also called for increased funding for the Bank of Industry to support textile manufacturers and advocated policies aimed at boosting cotton production among local farmers.
Speaking after the motion was adopted, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin described the issue as critical to Nigeria’s economic growth and national development.
“This is an issue that affects the overall well-being of our country and the future of our economy,” he said.
Nigeria’s textile industry was once a major pillar of the economy, employing hundreds of thousands of workers and providing a ready market for cotton farmers across the country.
However, decades of challenges, including poor infrastructure, high production costs, smuggling, inadequate government support, and competition from imported fabrics, have led to the closure of many textile mills and the loss of thousands of jobs, leaving the sector a shadow of its former self.