145 textile mills collapsed in 36 years – Minister

A total of 145 Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) mills operating in Nigeria collapsed in the last 36 years.
This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, during the meeting of the CTG Implementation Committee held in Abuja yesterday.
“The CTG sector, which used to be highest employer of labour next to government, with over 175 mills at its peak in the 1980s is now a shadow of itself with barely 30 companies operating presently,” the Minister revealed.
Hajiya Abubakar lamented that inadequate power supply and lack of modern technologies to produce CTG products that can compete favourably internationally were partly responsible for the high mortality rate in the sector.
“The successful implementation of the CTG policy will indeed bring back this glory of this sector through its multiplier effect,” she assured.
The Co-Chairperson of the committee, Omotanwa Awobokun, lamented that smuggling of textile materials from Asian countries adversely affected the local industry.
She said the committee has set up an anti -smuggling unit to combat smuggling of textiles into the country.
She said CTG clusters will be developed across the country and school uniforms and military wears would have to be sourced locally.