Nigeria Senate Textile Import Ban

The Nigeria — Senate of Nigeria proposed a total ban on textile fabric imports to revive the struggling local textile industry and create jobs. However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), led by Muda Yusuf, has strongly cautioned against this measure. The CPPE argues that such a ban would inflict significant collateral damage on downstream industries like fashion, garment-making, tailoring, furniture, and interior design, which are estimated to be worth N17 trillion and provide livelihoods for about 10 million Nigerians. The CPPE believes the decline of Nigeria's textile industry is due to structural constraints like high energy costs, poor infrastructure, and expensive credit, rather than import competition. Instead of a ban, the CPPE recommends a comprehensive value-chain strategy including government procurement of local textiles, a Textile Competitiveness Fund, and the revival of domestic cotton production.