From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The President of the National Union of Textile, Garment, and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, Comrade Peters Godonu, has called for stronger political commitment and effective implementation of policies aimed at revitalizing Nigeria’s struggling textile and garment industry.
Speaking on Monday at a one-day strategic engagement on the revitalization of Nigeria’s textile and garment industry held at the Adams Oshiomhole Textile Labor House in Kaduna, Godonu said the sector’s decline was not due to a lack of policies but the failure to implement them effectively.
The event, organized by the union in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, brought together labor leaders, employers, government representatives, and other stakeholders to discuss trade union perspectives, policy options, and actionable strategies to revive the Cotton, Textile, and Garment (CTG) sector.
Godonu described the textile industry as a once-vibrant, labor-intensive sector that created massive employment opportunities and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic development.
He commended Friedrich Ebert Stiftung for its continued support toward sustainable industrialization, decent work, and social justice in Nigeria, while also praising textile employers for remaining resilient despite the tough operating environment.
The labor leader identified smuggling as one of the biggest threats to the survival of local industries, noting that the influx of textile materials and garments from China and other Asian countries had weakened local manufacturing and reduced the competitiveness of Nigerian products.
According to him, Nigeria’s textile exports dropped by 55.5 percent to N16.55 billion in 2025 from N36.98 billion in 2024, while textile imports increased by 46.11 percent to N1.061 trillion during the same period.
“This situation has contributed immensely to factory closures, job losses, and declining investments in the sector,” he said.
Godonu also criticized the poor implementation of government policies designed to promote patronage of locally made products, including Executive Order 003 and the current administration’s “Nigeria First” policy.
He expressed concern about the slow progress under the Cotton, Textile, and Garment Development Board, despite new industrial policy frameworks and initiatives that affect the sector.
Referring to the recent launch of the CTG Value Chain Activation Milestone in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, the NUTGTWN president said there was still little evidence of industrial stability, factory revival, new investments, or large-scale job creation.
“We cannot continue to celebrate motions without movement,” he declared.
Godonu stated the strategic engagement was organized to enable stakeholders to exchange ideas and develop practical recommendations to ensure the effective implementation of existing industrial policies and programs.
The union leader also used the occasion to mark African Liberation Day, observed annually on May 25 to commemorate the founding of the Organization of African Unity in 1963.
He lamented that despite decades of independence, many African countries still face poverty, unemployment, deindustrialization, and economic dependence.
“Africa cannot attain genuine liberation without economic independence, industrial development, and decent jobs for its people,” he stated.
Godonu further condemned recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa and called on African labor movements to defend the values of solidarity, workers’ unity, and peaceful coexistence across the continent.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the General Secretary of the Union, Comrade Ali Baba, said that textile workers would vote in 2027 for political leaders who have the revival of the textile industry at heart.
Baba said the union’s resolve to vote for committed leaders stems from the struggle to revitalize Nigeria’s textile and garment industry, which is part of the broader fight for the nation’s industrial emancipation and economic sovereignty.
