Nigeria Senate's Textile Import Ban Could Harm Economy, CPPE Warns

Nigeria's Senate has called for a total ban on textile imports to revive the local industry and boost cotton production. However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) cautions that this move could severely damage the Nigerian economy.

“

Although reviving Nigeria’s textile industry is a legitimate objective, banning textile imports would not address the sector’s underlying problems.

Muda Yusuf, CEO of CPPE, stated that while revitalizing the textile sector is a worthy goal, an import ban is not the solution. The think tank believes the proposed restriction would impose significant collateral costs on downstream industries, disrupt supply chains, and jeopardize millions of jobs.

“

The proposed measure is unlikely to achieve its intended objectives and could have significant adverse consequences for the Nigerian economy.

The CPPE views the Senate's proposal as a "narrow view" of the industry's challenges. It highlights that Nigeria's fashion, garment, and tailoring industry, valued at N10 trillion and employing around 10 million people, heavily relies on imported textile fabrics. Restricting these imports would hinder production, increase costs, limit consumer choices, and threaten numerous small and medium-sized enterprises.

“

Rather than revitalising the textile industry, the proposed ban could impose substantial collateral costs on downstream industries, disrupt critical supply chains and jeopardise millions of jobs and livelihoods.

Furthermore, the furniture and interior design sector, worth an estimated N7 trillion, also depends on textile fabrics as critical inputs. The CPPE asserts that the decline of Nigeria's textile industry stems from long-standing structural issues, not import competition. The organization emphasizes that the garment industry itself generates substantial domestic value through design, tailoring, and merchandising, often exceeding the value of the textile inputs.

“

The decline of Nigeria’s textile industry is primarily the consequence of long-standing structural constraints rather than import competition.