The Director General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr Dikko Umaru Radda, says the fashion industry in Nigeria can create two million direct and three million indirect jobs.
Radda was speaking at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja where he emphasized on the timeliness of the National Policy Dialogue on the Fashion Industry which will hold on November 16th in Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.
“As you are aware, fashion and apparel manufacturing industries are companies that employ a lot of people in the country and have the potential of giving out direct jobs of about two million, and three million indirect jobs. So this is an industry that we should be serious about and see how we can develop it,” he stated.
Radda further said the essence of the National Policy Dialogue on the Fashion Industry is to gather all the stakeholders in the fashion industry so they can look at the problems confronting the industry and thereby formulate measures that will help the growth of the sector.
The CEO of Makulu Clothing Brand, Mr John Oke, who is partnering with SMEDAN on the dialogue, said Nigeria is yet to tap into the benefits in the $16 billion industry.
He said the fashion policy dialogue is set to develop strategies and methodologies for formalising and supporting the over 500,000 tailors and artisans practicing in the industry for growth.
He added that the dialogue will set off a collection of integrated activities that will culminate in Nigeria taking its rightful place in the global fashion industry which is currently valued at 1.3 trillion US dollars and contributes 2% of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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