Nigeria and India are stepping up efforts to revive Nigeria’s textile industry and expand financing for women-led businesses, with stakeholders calling for structured partnerships and targeted investment to turn domestic demand into local production.
At a high-level Nigeria–India Textile Business-to-Business engagement and policy roundtable in Abuja, private sector leaders and trade partners outlined a strategy to reposition textiles as a key driver of jobs, exports, and industrial growth.
President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Jani Ibrahim, said Nigeria’s textile industry is declining even as demand remains high. The country imported over *₦1 trillion worth of textiles in 2025* alone, while exports fell sharply.
He described the trend as a “loss of national value,” noting that billions spent on imports could instead support local cotton farmers, manufacturers, designers, and small businesses across the value chain.
Ibrahim argued that Nigeria still has strong fundamentals for a rebound — a large population, a growing fashion industry, cotton production potential, and an active entrepreneurial base — if the sector is properly structured.
India, one of the world’s largest textile economies, was highlighted as a key partner for machinery supply, technology, skills development, and manufacturing investment.
Stakeholders proposed setting up textile processing clusters in Nigeria’s cotton-producing states such as Katsina and Zamfara, with technical collaboration linked to Indian industrial hubs in Surat, Tiruppur, and Coimbatore. Plans also include training programmes, virtual trade linkages, and business-to-business matchmaking between Nigerian distributors and Indian manufacturers.
NACCIMA urged a shift from fragmented production to a fully integrated *cotton-to-garment value chain* covering farming, ginning, spinning, weaving, dyeing, garmenting, and retail.
The chamber identified bottlenecks holding the sector back: outdated machinery, inadequate skills, limited access to finance, and weak enforcement of local content procurement for uniforms, hospitality, and public sector clothing.
In a parallel session, the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry convened a roundtable on mobilising non-interest funding for women-owned enterprises. ACCI President Dr. Emeka Obegolu, SAN, said financial inclusion was central to Nigeria’s economic future.
He noted that women-led MSMEs drive job creation and innovation but face major barriers including high interest rates, collateral requirements, and rigid lending structures. He advocated expanding non-interest finance models, describing them as ethical, inclusive, and better suited to small and growing businesses.
The chamber said it would work with financial institutions, regulators, and development partners to raise awareness, build trust, and connect women entrepreneurs directly to funding.
Across both sessions, stakeholders agreed that Nigeria’s economic transformation depends on rebuilding its productive base and ensuring inclusive access to finance and technology. The textile industry alone, they said, could become a major employment engine with coherent policy, industrial investment, and international collaboration.
They also stressed that women and young entrepreneurs must be at the center of the revival strategy.
The meetings ended with a commitment to move beyond talk toward action, with calls for bankable projects, structured partnerships, and measurable outcomes. If implemented, the Nigeria–India textile partnership and expanded financial inclusion agenda could reshape Nigeria’s manufacturing landscape and strengthen its position in global trade.
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