Textile manufacturers in Nigeria have blamed porous borders for the collapse of the cotton-garment value sector of the country’s economy.
Alhaji Kwajaffa, the Director-General of the Nigerian Textile Manufacturers Association (NTMA), disclosed this on Saturday in a statement reacting to the rot in the industry.
He lamented the state of Nigeria’s border security, especially in the north.
Kwajaffa said the government should revamp its land border security to curb smuggling.
“Government of Nigeria should come down to border security and see what is happening. We, local manufacturers of textiles, are required to use pure cotton but those who do not use pure cotton are allowed to bring in their products through the land borders and local manufacturers are still expected to compete with their cheaper though substandard products in the same market. This is what killed the textile industry in Nigeria,” he said.
Media Talk Africa recalls that following the coup in the Niger Republic, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government ordered a total closure of the country’s northern land borders.
