SUN JUNE 28 2026-theGBJournal| The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) has urged the Senate to abandon plans for a blanket ban on textile fabric imports and instead adopt a package of competitiveness reforms, including mandatory government procurement of locally made uniforms, a dedicated textile modernisation fund, incentives for cotton production and lower manufacturing costs.
The group said structural reforms, rather than import restrictions, offer a more sustainable path to reviving Nigeria’s textile industry while protecting the country’s N10 trillion fashion and garment sector, which supports an estimated 10 million livelihoods.
THE CPPE noted that the proposed ban on textile fabric imports by the Nigerian Senate, risks undermining a N10 trillion fashion and garment industry that employs an estimated 10 million people, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) has warned.
The Centre argues that Senators should prioritise reforms to improve manufacturers’ competitiveness rather than impose import restrictions.
The group said the Senate’s resolution, while aimed at reviving domestic textile production, could disrupt supply chains, raise production costs and threaten jobs across the country’s broader creative economy.
According to the CPPE, while the objective of reviving Nigeria’s textile industry is legitimate and commendable, an outright import prohibition is unlikely to achieve that objective.
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.
The think-tank argued that the proposal also reflects a narrow view of the textile industry’s challenges and overlooks the extensive linkages within Nigeria’s textile, garment, fashion, furniture and creative economy value chains.
Effective industrial policy, it said, should address the underlying constraints to competitiveness rather than merely restrict imports.
The CPPE noted that Nigeria’s fashion, garment-making and tailoring industry is substantially larger than the textile manufacturing segment.
Conservatively valued at about N10 trillion, the industry provides livelihoods for an estimated ten million Nigerians and is one of the country’s most vibrant creative economy sectors.
Textile fabrics are critical intermediate inputs for this ecosystem, the group said, warning that restricting imports would disrupt production, increase costs, reduce consumer choice and threaten thousands of micro, small and medium enterprises engaged in fashion, tailoring and garment manufacturing.
The garment industry generates substantial domestic value addition through design, tailoring, branding, embroidery, merchandising and retailing. In many cases, the local value added exceeds the value of the textile inputs.
”Public policy should therefore protect this broader value chain,” it said.
The CPPE recommended, in place of the ban;
-Strategic Government Procurement: Require military, paramilitary agencies, schools and other public institutions to prioritise locally produced textiles and garments for their uniforms.
-Textile Competitiveness Fund: Channel part of textile-related import tax revenues into a dedicated fund providing single-digit financing for technology upgrading and industry modernisation.
-Revive Cotton Production: Support cotton farmers through improved seedlings, mechanisation, extension services, security and guaranteed off-take arrangements.
-Strengthen Border Enforcement: Combat smuggling to improve the effectiveness of existing tariff protection.
-Improve Industrial Competitiveness: Reduce energy costs, improve infrastructure, lower financing costs and create a more conducive manufacturing environment.
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