Nigeria spends $6bn annually on imported clothing

•Commends local producer

By Gabriel Ewepu

The Federal Government, FG, has indicated that Nigeria’s textile industry is struggling with massive importation, poor infrastructural backbone against local manufacturers and trade malpractices.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja yesterday, Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olajumoke Oduwole, said as a result of weakened domestic production, Nigeria spends about $6 billion annually on importation of cloths.

She stated: “The Nigerian garment industry has long faced challenges. Between 2010 and 2025, it struggled with high-volume low-cost imports competing against a high-potential but underdeveloped local sector.

“Nigeria spends approximately $6 billion annually on imported clothing, with over 90% of popular fabrics like Ankara imported. Smuggling, porous borders, and limited infrastructure have further hampered domestic production.”

Oduwole was speaking at while commissioning a garment factory and unveiling Mo’Afrique’s new brand, Modish, challenged the firm to aim for exports, adding that FG would give full support to the sector.

She commended the confidence expressed by the Founder and Creative Director of Mo’Afrique, Omobolanle Olawale, through her huge investments in the Nigerian textile industry.

She said: “We expect you to have your garments all across Africa and the rest of the world using the African Continental Free Trade Area. This is what generates jobs, employment, and the GDP”.

In her speech, Olawale, described the celebration of Mo’Afrique’s 10th anniversary and the launch of a new brand, Modish, alongside the commissioning of the state-of-the-art garment factory in Abuja as a “historic occasion”, saying the day is not just “about unveiling a brand or opening a facility; it is about vision, resilience, and the promise of a brighter future for Nigerian garment and clothing industry.”