Nigeria imported textiles and textile articles worth N565.96bn in the first half of 2025, according to the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics.
The sharp rise has alarmed industry stakeholders, who warn that unchecked importation continues to cripple local textile manufacturing and erode jobs in the sector.
The figures show that textile imports jumped by 56.6 per cent year-on-year, compared to N361.39bn recorded in the first half of 2024.
In the second quarter alone, textiles worth N337.12bn entered the country, an 84.27 per cent rise from N182.95bn in the same period of 2024.
The surge builds on previous trends. In 2024, Nigeria imported N726.18bn worth of textiles, almost doubling the N377.47bn recorded in 2023.
Despite government promises of reform under the Cotton-Textile-Garment (CTG) programme, import dependence shows no signs of abating.
In April, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment announced an initiative to “localise up to $4bn in spending on textile imports, fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and boosting local manufacturing capabilities.”
