Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday left Abuja for an official working trip to the Republic of Benin, leading a high-level Nigerian delegation.
In a statement issued by the Vice President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the delegation comprises six state governors and senior government officials. The visit is intended to study the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in Benin as part of efforts to revive Nigeria’s textile sector.
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During the visit, the Nigerian team will tour the GDIZ, located near Cotonou, where they will meet with Beninese government officials, investors and private-sector stakeholders responsible for developing and managing the 1,640-hectare industrial complex.
The industrial zone features a fully integrated textile production chain, encompassing cotton spinning, weaving, fabric finishing and garment manufacturing. It transforms locally produced cotton into finished products for export, creating value across the entire production process.
Accompanying the Vice President are the governors of Imo, Hope Uzodimma; Zamfara, Dauda Lawal; Plateau, Caleb Mutfwang; Kwara, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Katsina, Dikko Radda; and Jigawa, Umar Namadi.
Nkwocha explained that the visit is designed to support the implementation of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme while assessing how Benin’s industrial model can be replicated in Nigeria. This includes establishing garment-training centres and expanding processing infrastructure close to farming communities.
He added that the African Development Bank is already backing plans to establish a garment-training facility under the SAPZ initiative in Ogun State.
According to the statement, the visit comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to restore Nigeria’s once-thriving textile industry, which has suffered years of factory shutdowns, inadequate local processing and growing competition from imported textiles and clothing.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicate that Nigeria’s textile, apparel and footwear industry was valued at about N8.15 trillion at current prices in 2024, while the sector generated an additional N2.45 trillion in nominal output during the first quarter of 2025.
Nkwocha noted that the delegation will also assess ways to strengthen collaboration across the textile value chain by connecting cotton farmers, ginneries, spinning mills, textile producers, fashion businesses and export markets. Developing these linkages, he said, could reduce import dependence, preserve foreign exchange and generate employment in agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, fashion design and retail.
He further stated that the delegation will closely examine how the GDIZ has attracted investment, developed industrial infrastructure, enhanced workforce skills and positioned its production for export markets—areas where Nigeria’s textile industry continues to face significant challenges.
The delegation will also explore opportunities for technology transfer, industrial skills development, modern production equipment, dependable power supply, shared processing facilities and stronger public-private partnerships aimed at improving the quality and global competitiveness of Nigerian cotton, textiles and finished garments.
Nkwocha added that the Vice President’s visit supports President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on industrialisation, economic diversification, agricultural development, import substitution, job creation and the expansion of non-oil exports.
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