Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday departed Abuja for a working visit to the Republic of Benin.

A statement signed on Thursday by the VP’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima is leading a delegation that includes six state governors and senior government officials on a mission to draw lessons from Benin’s Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone for the revival of Nigeria’s textile industry.

The delegation will visit the GDIZ near Cotonou, where it will engage representatives of the Beninese government, investors and private-sector operators involved in the development and management of the 1,640-hectare industrial hub.

The hub operates an integrated production system covering cotton spinning, weaving, fabric processing and garment manufacturing, moving agricultural commodities from raw material supply through processing to the export of finished goods.

The governors on the VP’s entourage are Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Dikko Radda of Katsina and Umar Namadi of Jigawa.

Nkwocha said, “The visit is aimed at strengthening the implementation of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme and examining how the GDIZ model can be adapted to Nigeria’s agro-industrial zones, including through the development of garment-training facilities and dedicated processing infrastructure near agricultural production communities.”

He noted that the African Development Bank is already supporting plans for a garment-training centre within the SAPZ programme in Ogun State.

“The visit comes at a time when the Federal Government is seeking to rebuild a textile industry that remains economically significant despite years of factory closures, weak local processing and intense competition from imported fabrics and garments,” the statement read.

According to National Bureau of Statistics figures, Nigeria’s textile, apparel and footwear industry was valued at approximately N8.15tn at current prices in 2024 and generated a further N2.45tn in nominal output in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

Nkwocha said the delegation is expected to examine how Nigeria can build stronger linkages among cotton farmers, ginneries, spinning mills, textile manufacturers, fashion businesses and export markets, a value chain that, if developed, could reduce dependence on imports, conserve foreign exchange and create employment across farming, manufacturing, logistics, design and retail.

He said particular attention will be given to how GDIZ has mobilised investment, developed industrial infrastructure, built skills capacity and oriented production toward exports, all areas where Nigeria’s textile sector has struggled.

“The delegation will also explore opportunities for technology transfer, industrial training, modern machinery, reliable energy systems, common processing facilities and stronger public-private partnerships to improve the quality and competitiveness of Nigerian cotton, fabrics and finished garments,” Nkwocha wrote.

The presidential aide said Shettima’s engagement aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its priorities of industrial revival, economic diversification, agricultural transformation, import substitution, job creation and expansion of non-oil exports. (The PUNCH)

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