Officials of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) has lauded the Federal Government on the new industrial policy, with the approval of Cotton Textile and Garment Development Board, saying that this will revatilised the moribund textile sector in Nigeria.
According to the Textiles Workers, these bold and strategic initiatives represent far-reaching measures aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s industrialization drive and revamping the once vibrant but now challenged textile and garment industry.
In a statement, by NUTGTWN President, Peters Godonu and Secretary General, Ali Baba on Wednesday, the Union officials said ‘we wish to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration for the recent launch and unveiling of the Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025’, pointing out that ‘the New Industrial Policy provides a comprehensive framework for strengthening domestic manufacturing, promoting value addition, and reducing over-dependence on imports.
Godonu remarked, ‘it will also be recalled that the 149th meeting of the Federal Government’s National Economic Council held on Thursday 24th April 2025 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja chaired by the Vice President, His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima among other progressive resolutions, approved the proposal for the establishment of the Cotton Textile and Garment Development Board as the regulatory body for the cotton, textile and garment sector of Nigeria’.
The Board, he explained, ‘to be domiciled in the Presidency is particularly significant as it signals government’s renewed commitment to addressing structural bottlenecks that have hindered the growth of the sector over the years. It underscores government’s recognition of the sector’s critical role in job creation, industrial growth and national economic development’.
Godonu argued that ‘textile Industry remains the key driver of sustainable jobs and development for most national economies of developing nations like ours’, while noting, ‘in the 1970’s and 80’s, Nigeria was the home to Africa’s largest textile industry’.
According to him, ‘Nigeria had over 180 textile mills in operations. The industry employed some direct 650,000 workforce and indirect millions of cotton farmers, traders and garment workers and tailors throughout the country. The sector made significant contribution to national GDP and also supported huge backward integration with the cotton production value chain during the period’.
He continued, ‘regrettably, most of the textile factories have stopped operations due to lack of an enabling environment and inconsistency in government policy’.
‘We are therefore delighted with the renewed effort and determination by the current administration to resuscitate the sector. The establishment of the Cotton Textile and Garment Development Board is timely, commendable and a landmark initiative that will help to revitalise the country’s ailing textile industry and boost local manufacturing’, he said.
‘It aligns with the economic revival agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and consistent with our long call for a Ministry of Textile or government body dedicated to the textile industry to support the sector’s growth and development as it is the case in India, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan among others’, Godonu added.
He further stressed, ‘it is commendable that the current administration is walking the talk about re-industrializing the country and reviving the labour-intensive textile and garment industry in particular, through the approved establishment of the Textile and Garment Development Board’.
He said: ‘the union is further reassured by the Vice President’s remarks during the NEC meeting, describing the initiative as a call to resuscitate a sector that once clothed the people and powered the nation’s economy.
According to the Vice President, ‘the goal is not just regulation. It is a revival. This is our opportunity to re-industrialise, to empower communities, and to restore pride in local production’.
‘The hope is that the Board would help to ensure regular upgrading of the textile value chains, improve on labour productivity, maximize value-addition and formulate strategies and programmes that will reposition the Nigeria’s textile sector for global competitiveness’, he added.
Godonu noted that the success of the Cotton Textile and Garment Development Board would depend largely on transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability, pointing out that ‘the voices and inputs of all key stakeholders especially the workers and their representatives must be heard and reflected in decision-making processes’.
‘There must be inclusive representation that will ensure the representation of organized labour and other critical stakeholders on the Board to ensure this laudable initiative delivers on its set objectives’, he warned.
‘We are therefore excited with the extended nomination and invitation to the union to the inauguration ceremony of the Steering Committee to review the recommendations of the 149th National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in respect of the proposed Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board (CT&GDB). The meeting is scheduled to hold on Thursday 5 March 2026 at the SGF Conference Room’, the statement added.
The Textiles Union leaders said, ‘as an affiliate of Nigeria Labour Congress and IndustriALL Global Union, we reaffirm our readiness to work with the government and other industry stakeholders to ensure the Cotton Textile and Garment Development Board achieves its intended objectives of reviving textile production, safeguarding jobs, and restoring Nigeria’s position as a key player in the global textile market.
