Policy flip-flops are hurting the Nigerian textile sector, leading to the demise of several factories across the country.
President of Women in Business and Tourism in Nigeria, Sophia Khan, said this at a press conference in Abuja while announcing the group’s plan to hold the first Abuja African and Textile Expo, which will take place between December 5 and 8, 2022.
She said investors were shying away from the textile sector owing to poor and unfavourable policy frameworks, noting that things would change drastically anytime the government decided to improve upon its policy-making.
“If the policies are favourable, investors will come and put the sector back on stream,” she said.
She said economic diversification was not a lip service and the government should endeavour to make the environment friendlier for investments.
Khan further said that the upcoming Abuja African Textile and Fashion Expo was attracting interests from various countries on the continent.
“Almost all African countries have shown interest to participate. It will be a week of activities for the tourism and the textile industries, showcasing the accommodating nature and the richness of the Nigerian fabric world,” she said.
She said that the idea behind the programme was to tell Nigerians and the world that there was a lot to harness in the tourism industry, noting that the expo would prove that the country’s sustainability should not be based on oil alone but on exports of finished goods, tourism and the Nigerian rich textile products.
“Nigeria has about 250 textile mills. Today, there are fewer than 70 textile mills. The African Textile and Fashion Expo is an avenue to revive the textile mills and by so doing create jobs for the teeming youths. The expo is to tell the Federal Government that we are into partnership with them to promote the Nigerian textile through export and high patronage from other African countries,” she added.
