The Nigerian Textile Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (NTMA) has identified unbridled smuggling of fabrics and lack of stable electricity as major problems affecting the textile business in the country.
NTMA’s Life Patron, Senator Walid Jibrin, who spoke to newsmen shortly after the association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Kaduna, lamented that there were only 30 surviving operators in the industry, as many textile industry owners had shut down their facilities due to the menace of smugglers.
Sen. Jibrin said the textile industry that was proud of over 300,000 workers with 175 industries in existence in the 80’s now had less than 30,000 employees.
He, therefore, commended government for closing the boarder as a measure to reduce smuggling of fabrics and other security goods into the country.
He said, “We congratulate the government for turning attention to the industry, especially in the areas of trying to curb smuggling by introducing policies aimed towards reviving the industry.
“The textile industry welcomes the closure of Nigerian boarders; which has tremendously reduced the rate of smuggling of textile to Nigeria.”
He explained further that the textile industry was in dare need of adequate electricity to aid its production as against the use of 70 per cent generator and 30 per cent national grid.
The industrialist also commended the state government for working with the CBN to provide funding support to cotton production and the textile industry which had continued to enable them produce made-in-Nigeria uniforms for the armed forces, immigration, customs and correctional service.
