Nigeria’s Federal Government has intensified efforts to revive its struggling textile industry through a renewed Cotton-to-Garment (CTG) initiative aimed at rebuilding the entire production ecosystem from farm to finished clothing.
The initiative, which forms a key part of the country’s newly inaugurated Industrial Policy, is designed to reposition the textile sector as a major driver of manufacturing growth, job creation and industrial diversification.
According to the Minister overseeing the sector, the CTG programme is central to efforts to stimulate domestic production, strengthen local supply chains and expand employment opportunities across the value chain.
He noted that early pilot interventions revealed deep structural weaknesses in the industry, particularly poor coordination between cotton farmers, textile mills and garment manufacturers.
“The problem is not entirely funding or infrastructure. The real issue is that the value chain was never designed to function as one coordinated system,” he said.
The minister explained that previous attempts to revive the sector failed because they focused on isolated segments rather than building an integrated production framework capable of sustaining long-term growth.
Under the new approach, the Federal Government plans to strengthen linkages between stakeholders, improve access to financing, and provide targeted support to smallholder cotton farmers across the country.
A key component of the strategy involves collaboration with the Bank of Agriculture, which has reportedly expressed readiness to finance cotton production, especially for small-scale farmers who form the backbone of raw material supply.
Officials believe that improving access to credit at the production stage will help address longstanding supply bottlenecks that have constrained textile manufacturing in Nigeria for years.
Speaking on the broader economic implications, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chris Osa Isokpunwu, described the initiative as a strategic intervention aimed at revitalising the textile industry and accelerating economic diversification.
He said the Cotton-to-Garment value chain holds significant potential to transform Nigeria’s industrial landscape, particularly through large-scale job creation.
According to him, the sector could generate more than 1.5 million jobs annually, with strong opportunities for women and young people while boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Policy analysts note that Nigeria’s textile industry, once a major employer and exporter, has suffered decades of decline due to import dependence, weak infrastructure and fragmented production systems.
The new CTG strategy is therefore being positioned as a structural reset rather than a short-term intervention, with emphasis on coordination, financing and end-to-end value chain integration.