Leaders of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) on Monday called for the emergence of political leaders with the will and commitment to revive Nigeria’s struggling textile and garment industry ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The call was made during a one day strategic engagement on the revitalisation of Nigeria’s textile and garment industry held at the Adams Oshiomhole Textile Labour House in Kaduna.
Speaking at the event, the President of the union, Comrade Peters Godonu, said the collapse of Nigeria’s once vibrant textile sector was not due to lack of policies but poor implementation and weak political commitment over the years.
The engagement, organised by the union in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), brought together labour leaders, employers, government officials and industry stakeholders to discuss practical solutions for reviving the Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) sector.
Godonu described the textile industry as one of Nigeria’s former largest employers of labour, noting that the sector once played a critical role in industrial growth and economic development.
According to him, smuggling and the influx of foreign textile materials from Asian countries, particularly China, have continued to weaken local production and discourage investment in the sector.
He disclosed that Nigeria’s textile exports dropped from N36.98 billion in 2024 to N16.55 billion in 2025, representing a decline of 55.5 per cent, while imports rose to over N1 trillion within the same period.
“This situation has contributed significantly to factory closures, unemployment and declining investments in the textile industry,” he said.
The labour leader also criticised the poor implementation of policies aimed at promoting patronage of locally made goods, including Executive Order 003 and the Federal Government’s “Nigeria First” policy.
He expressed concern over what he described as the slow pace of activities under the Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board despite renewed policy discussions around industrial revival.
“We cannot continue to celebrate motions without movement,” Godonu stated.
He said Nigeria requires leaders with genuine political will to drive industrial policies capable of restoring factories, creating jobs and strengthening local production.
Godonu also used the occasion to mark African Liberation Day, observed annually on May 25, lamenting that many African countries still battle poverty, unemployment and economic dependence decades after independence.
“Africa cannot attain genuine liberation without economic independence, industrial development and decent jobs for its people,” he said.
He further condemned recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa and urged African labour unions to promote solidarity and peaceful coexistence across the continent.
Earlier in his remarks, the General Secretary of the union, Comrade Ali Baba, said textile workers would support political leaders committed to reviving the industry in the 2027 elections.
According to him, the struggle to revive Nigeria’s textile sector is directly linked to the broader goal of achieving industrial growth and economic sovereignty.
“We need leaders who understand the importance of industrialization and are ready to take deliberate actions to revive the textile industry,” he said.
