Nigeria’s importation of textiles and textile-related products surged to N1.06 trillion in 2025.
This is according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Q4 2025 Foreign Trade Report.
The figures show a significant increase compared to previous years, highlighting Nigeria’s growing dependence on imported fabrics and garments to meet domestic demand.
The data indicate a steady rise in textile imports over the past four years, reflecting strong consumer demand, population growth, and persistent challenges facing Nigeria’s local textile manufacturing industry.
What the data is saying
Nigeria’s textile imports recorded a sharp increase in 2025, crossing the trillion-naira mark for the first time in recent years.
According to the NBS, Nigeria imported textiles and textile articles valued at N1.06 trillion in 2025.
- Textile imports stood at N726.18 billion in 2024, representing a significant increase in the following year.
- In 2023, textile imports were valued at N377.47 billion.
- In 2022, Nigeria recorded N365.46 billion in textile imports.
The data suggests that Nigeria’s textile imports have nearly tripled within four years, underscoring the country’s rising reliance on foreign textile products.
Get up to speed
Nigeria once had a vibrant textile industry, particularly in cities such as Kaduna, Kano, and Lagos, where large textile mills operated and provided thousands of jobs. Over the years, however, the industry has experienced a significant decline due to several structural challenges.
- High production costs have made locally manufactured textiles less competitive compared to imported fabrics.
- Inadequate and unreliable power supply has raised operating costs for manufacturers.
- Widespread smuggling and the influx of cheaper imported fabrics have further weakened domestic producers.
As a result, many textile factories have shut down or drastically reduced operations, leaving the domestic market increasingly dependent on imported garments, fabrics, yarns, and other textile inputs used by tailors and fashion designers.
What you should know
Nigeria’s textile industry continues to struggle despite the country’s huge market potential for cotton production.
- In the 1970s, Nigeria happened to be an industrial hub for textile production, boasting about 180 textile mills and employing more than one million Nigerians.
- Earlier, Nairametrics reports that Nigeria recorded a trade surplus of N1.71 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025, even as exports declined during the period.
- The Federal Government has repeatedly raised concerns about Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported textiles and its implications for the economy.
- Nigeria is estimated to spend about $6 billion annually on textile imports.
Stakeholders in the manufacturing sector have called for improved access to electricity, financing, and modern machinery for textile producers.
Industry groups are also urging stricter enforcement against smuggling to protect local manufacturers.
Reviving the textile industry is widely viewed as an opportunity to reduce Nigeria’s import bill, create employment opportunities, and stimulate industrial growth.
