Why Tinubu’s promise to revive Kaduna Textile must go beyond speeches and tackle deep-rooted industrial policy failures.
Northern Nigeria's industrial dream used to be exemplified by the Kaduna Textile Industry. It combined jobs, dignity, and a functional supply chain from the cotton fields of Zamfara to the looms in Kakuri, and it did more than make fabric. That formerly thriving industry is now inert, a skeletal remnant of its former self, having crumbled under decades of disregard, international competition, and inconsistent policy.
However, with fresh government focus and the prospect of a comeback, the question resurfaces: Can Tinubu's administration transform Kaduna Textile into more than a photo op and truly bring about economic change for the North?
A Broken System, Not Just a Broken Factory
It's critical to realise that Nigerians' abandonment of Ankara clothing does not mean the end of Kaduna textiles. Nigeria ceased to support the framework that made local production sustainable, and as a result, it died. Diesel costs skyrocketed. Lack of government backing led to the abandonment of cotton growing. Under unpaid wages, the equipment corroded. Even worse, revivals that never materialised were announced by the government after the administration.
The Buhari-led government unveiled a N50 billion plan to revive textile mills in 2020 alone. Before implementation started, there was silence. It takes more than just investing in walls and machinery to revitalise Kaduna; legislative reform, trust-building, and the reconstruction of the cotton-to-cloth value chain are all necessary.
From the Farms to the Factory: Closing the Loop
The production of cotton is concentrated in northern Nigeria. The conditions in states like Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Gombe are perfect for producing cotton of superior quality. However, insecurity, a lack of irrigation, and limited access to funding have forced farmers out of the market.
The government must begin at the very beginning if Kaduna Textile is to succeed:
- Invest in cotton cooperatives that have trustworthy off-take contracts.
- Reestablish oversight organisations such as the Cotton Marketing Board.
- Provide cotton growers with fertiliser and seed subsidies in the same manner as the Anchor Borrowers' Scheme helped rice farmers.
Import dependency will cause any revival to fail if there is no farm-to-factory connection.
Power, Policy, and Politics
Nigeria's infrastructure is its weak point, and factories will continue to struggle even if production resumes. The power supply is costly and unpredictable. The logistics are inadequate. The roads are falling apart. Additionally, there is still a lot of competition from imported Chinese fabric, particularly given the lax border controls.
What more needs to be done by the government than just giving speeches?
Establish a fund for textile revitalisation that is correlated with quantifiable outcomes.
- Provide textile equipment with 10-year tax savings and import duty waivers.
- Prohibit smuggled textiles while preserving locals' access to raw materials
- Demand that uniforms for the NYSC, military, and schools be made of Nigerian materials.
Without an environment of policies that support textiles, there can be no textile resurgence. The revival will be short-lived if the policy is not bold.
Why This Matters for the North
This is about regaining dignity, not simply about clothes. High unemployment, unrest among young people, and growing poverty are all problems in the Northern region. A completely revitalised textile industry in Kaduna could:
- Provide more than 100,000 indirect jobs and more than 20,000 direct jobs.
- Boost rural economies by increasing demand for cotton.
- Promote Kaduna's urban regeneration by establishing industrial clustering.
It might also aid in bringing Nigeria's regional development back into balance. There are ports and oil in the South. Kaduna Textile represents the potential for industry and agriculture that the North needs.
Final Thoughts: No More Window Dressing
The people in Kaduna will be able to tell if this is just another promise. They have heard it previously. Accountability and outcomes, not catchphrases, must be the foundation of the textile renaissance.
Ribbon cuttings are not the start of an industrial recovery. It starts in the ground, in training facilities, in power-stable warehouses, and in laws that keep low-cost imports from destroying Nigerian manufacturing.
Kaduna doesn't require any further assurances. A blueprint is required. Now it needs it.
In the current economic environment, can the Federal Government bring Kaduna textiles back to life? This time, what would it take to make it happen? Please tell us what you think.
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