CPPE Warns Textile Import Ban Could Hit N7tn Industry, 10m Jobs

The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise has warned that a proposed ban on textile imports could hurt Nigeria’s economy instead of reviving local textile production.

Daily Post and Premium Times reported that the warning followed the Senate’s June 9 resolution calling for a total ban on textile imports as part of efforts to revive the textile industry.

The motion was sponsored by Senator Sunday Katung of Kaduna South and focused on the old Kaduna-Kano textile axis.

In a Sunday statement, CPPE chief executive officer Muda Yusuf said the aim of reviving textile production was legitimate, but an outright import prohibition would not solve the industry’s deeper problems.

Daily Post reported that CPPE put the textile industry at about N7tn and estimated that it provides livelihoods for about 10 million Nigerians.

Premium Times reported that CPPE also pointed to Nigeria’s fashion, garment-making and tailoring industry, estimated at N10tn, saying it relies heavily on imported fabrics as inputs.

The group said a ban could disrupt production, raise costs, reduce consumer choice and threaten micro, small and medium businesses in fashion, furniture and interior design.

CPPE argued that Nigeria’s textile decline is driven mainly by high energy costs, expensive credit, poor infrastructure, logistics bottlenecks, obsolete technology, smuggling, weak access to long-term finance and policy inconsistency.

Yusuf said the government should focus on structural reforms, cotton production, cheaper finance and public procurement support rather than a blanket import ban.

Sources: Daily Post; Premium Times