Nigeria’s reliance on foreign-made textiles and apparels has expanded dramatically, with the nation’s textile import bill climbing 181% within a two-year window to reach Naira 1.08 trillion (1 US$ equals 1352 Naira) in 2025, up from N377.47 billion in 2023.
With the pattern holding firm into 2026, projections now point towards a full-year import bill approaching N1.4 trillion.
This steep climb underlines a deepening mismatch between what Nigerian mills can produce and what the market demands, with manufacturers hampered by steep operating costs, unreliable electricity, currency volatility and other systemic obstacles.
The figures, drawn from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), point to a domestic textile and garment sector still struggling to regain its footing despite various government interventions designed to revive it.
First-quarter 2026 figures already reveal an accelerated pace of growth, with import spending hitting N267.7 billion, 153.2% above the N70.48 billion posted during the equivalent quarter a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the country’s textile and clothing export performance has moved in the opposite direction, further undermining the sector’s trade position.
Overseas shipments slipped 11.8% to N16.55 billion in 2025, down from N18.76 billion in 2023, and plunged by 55% compared with the N36.98 billion achieved in 2024.
In response to the sector’s deteriorating position, Nigeria’s Senate passed a resolution in June 2026 urging the federal authorities to enforce a blanket prohibition on textile and garment imports.
“The proposal was designed to breathe new life into the historic textile hubs along the Kaduna-Kano corridor and rebuild the country’s manufacturing capability from the ground up,” Vanguard reported.
Senators called on government to act swiftly to bar the entry of foreign-made fabrics and textile goods, pointing out that imported products now make up roughly 99% of goods sold within the domestic market.
Lawmakers additionally instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to push forward large-scale cotton cultivation, describing it as essential groundwork for reconstructing the textile supply chain.
The Senate further recommended that the Bank of Industry (BoI) step up its funding support to help resuscitate textile factories that have shut down or fallen into distress, alongside tighter monitoring to tackle the ongoing problem of textile smuggling.
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