“Nigeria spends over $4 billion per year on importing textiles and clothing,” a statement from Hamma Kwajaffa, director general at the Textile Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (TMAN) revealed. “However, the country’s textile sector can manufacture textiles and apparels for the domestic market as well as for the countries in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),” he said. “These products can also be exported to the US under AGOA and to the European Union under its GSP scheme,” Kwajaffa added. “He was but worried over the huge imports of textiles and clothing, which according to him, not only weakens the domestic industry, steals jobs and reduces government revenue,” Nigerian media reports said. In the statement, Kwajaffa urged the government to address the eight challenges which were earlier brought to the notice of the government. They include re-scheduling of the CTG loan facility, high tariff on gas despite fall in oil and gas prices, supplying fuel to industry, consistent supply of certified seeds to farmers and lastly allocating forex at official rates.
