The Nigerian federal government recently introduced a national cotton, textile and apparel development policy, and plans to increase seed cotton production from about 200,000 metric tons in 2003 to 500,000 tons by the end of 2015. Annual textile exports are US$3 billion (504 billion naira). The number of textile employees has increased from 24,000 to 100,000, increasing the contribution of the textile industry to GDP.
When introducing the policy, Olusegun Aganga, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said that this is the first time a policy called “Farm to Fashion” has been introduced, with the purpose of integrating the entire value chain of the textile industry, solving factors that hinder the improvement of productivity, and improving Production skills, from quantitative to qualitative changes, combat smuggling and counterfeiting, and promote textiles to be competitive not only in Africa but also globally.
To promote the implementation of the policy, Aganga believes that all Nigerian military, paramilitary organizations and schools can only purchase textiles and clothing produced in Nigeria.
