How Nigeria lost its textile market to Chinese imports – DW – 03/21/2025
www.dw.com
Nigeria's textile production was once a vibrant, booming sector and a key part of its economy. But the industry has since been brought to its knees by cheap imports from China. Is there a chance of recovery?

Cross post from https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/31499147

In the 1990s, the textile industry in Nigeria was a key driver of the economy, providing employment to hundreds of thousands in Africa’s most populous country.

“It was full of activities, from Kaduna, Kano, Lagos and Onitsha, textile factories were located in all those places,” said Hamma Ali Kwajaffa, the head of Nigerian Textile Manufacturers Association.

Textile mills across the country produced high-quality fabrics for Nigerian buyers as well as international markets. Booming production chains also supported local cotton farmers.

Today, however, only a few factories remain, and even those are struggling amid the influx of cheap textiles from abroad — particularly from China.

[…]

“China already produces all the raw materials,” said Anibe Achimugu, president of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria. “This means they can produce at a cheaper price.”

[…]

Are Chinese rivals copying Nigerian designs?

Kwajaffa of the Nigerian Textile Manufacturers Association pointed out that imported textiles are often made of polyester rather than cotton. Polyester is cheaper, but is also considered lower in quality.

According to Kwajaffa, imported textiles often fade quickly and do not last as long as cotton fabrics. However, because some of the foreign fabrics mimic Nigerian-made designs, consumers may mistakenly attribute them to local manufacturers. Also, clothes smuggled from China are sometimes illegally marked as “Made in Nigeria” and sold at lower prices, he said.

[…]

In 1997, the Nigerian government introduced the Textile Development Fund Levy Policy, a 10% tax on imported textiles intended to support local production.

More than two decades later, Kwajaffa said this money “has not reached the manufacturers.”

Without financial support, local producers have continued to lose ground against cheaper imports. The decline has resulted in millions of people — textile workers, as well as cotton farmers and traders — losing their jobs. Industry figures show that Nigeria once had over 150 textile mills. Today, fewer than four remain in operation, according to Achimugu.

[…]