FG revives textile industry as cotton output crashes to 10,000 metric tonnes
By Aboki Forex —
The Federal Government is ramping up efforts to revive Nigeria’s Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) industry after cotton production plunged by about 95 percent over two decades.
Speaking at the National CTG Value Chain Activation Pilot Milestone Event in Abuja, Minister of State for Industry John Enoh said output fell from nearly 200,000 metric tonnes in 2001 to roughly 10,000 metric tonnes in 2025.
Enoh described the decline as a major setback for industrial growth. He noted that the textile sector, once a major employer, suffered years of neglect, poor coordination and heavy dependence on imported raw materials.
The minister said the government is now determined to reposition the CTG industry as a key driver of industrialisation and job creation. He stated that the sector has the potential to create about 1.5 million jobs, especially for youths and women.
Enoh revealed that a pilot project has already produced 10,000 made-in-Nigeria T-shirts using locally grown cotton. He said the initiative proved that cotton can be grown, processed and turned into finished garments within six to seven months.
“What you have seen today is not just a proposal on paper. It is evidence that local production is already working,” Enoh said.
He explained that the government is shifting from policy discussions to practical implementation. The goal is to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported clothing and boost local manufacturing.
The pilot project exposed major weaknesses in the CTG value chain, especially the lack of coordination among cotton farmers, textile manufacturers and garment producers. Enoh said many past interventions failed because they focused on separate parts of the industry instead of building a connected system.
The federal government plans to expand the initiative by improving market access, strengthening financing structures and supporting smallholder cotton farmers nationwide. The Bank of Agriculture has expressed readiness to provide funding for cotton production, particularly for small-scale farmers.
Enoh earlier outlined a policy framework that could generate up to $4 billion in annual revenue for the country by reducing imported clothing.
In a related development, the Ogun State government recently unveiled a massive cotton garment factory projected to create 250,000 jobs at full capacity. Governor Dapo Abiodun said the facility would become a world-class textiles hub and redefine the employment landscape in the state and beyond.