Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Vice President Kashim Shettima departed Abuja on Thursday, July 23, 2026, leading a high-level delegation of six state governors and senior federal officials on a working visit to the Republic of Benin to study the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone, a sprawling 1,640-hectare industrial hub near Cotonou, as part of the Federal Government's renewed push to revive Nigeria's ailing textile industry. The delegation, which includes the governors of Imo, Zamfara, Plateau, Kwara, Katsina and Jigawa states, alongside the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, and other senior officials, will engage with Beninese government representatives, investors and private-sector operators involved in the development and management of the industrial zone.
The visit, announced in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, is aimed at strengthening the implementation of Nigeria's Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme by drawing practical lessons from Benin's approach to agricultural value addition, industrial infrastructure, investment mobilisation, skills development and export-oriented production. Particular attention will be given to the GDIZ textile park, which operates an integrated production system covering cotton spinning, weaving, fabric processing and garment manufacturing, moving agricultural commodities from raw material supply through processing to the export of finished goods.
The visit comes at a time when the Federal Government is seeking to rebuild a textile industry that remains economically significant despite years of factory closures, weak local processing and intense competition from imported fabrics and garments. According to National Bureau of Statistics figures, Nigeria's textile, apparel and footwear industry was valued at approximately N8.15 trillion at current prices in 2024 and generated a further N2.45 trillion in nominal output in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
The presidential aide said the delegation is expected to examine how Nigeria can build stronger linkages among cotton farmers, ginneries, spinning mills, textile manufacturers, fashion businesses and export markets, a value chain that, if developed, could reduce dependence on imports, conserve foreign exchange and create employment across farming, manufacturing, logistics, design and retail. Particular attention will be given to how GDIZ has mobilised investment, developed industrial infrastructure, built skills capacity and oriented production toward exports, all areas where Nigeria's textile sector has struggled. The delegation will also explore opportunities for technology transfer, industrial training, modern machinery, reliable energy systems, common processing facilities and stronger public-private partnerships to improve the quality and competitiveness of Nigerian cotton, fabrics and finished garments.
The presidential aide noted that the Nigerian delegation would also explore opportunities for technology transfer, industrial training, modern machinery, reliable energy systems, common processing facilities, and stronger public-private partnerships. The visit aligns with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its priorities of industrial revival, economic diversification, agricultural transformation, import substitution, job creation, and the expansion of non-oil exports. Upon arrival in Cotonou, Shettima was received by Benin's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Corinne Amori Brunet, and Minister of Tourism and External Trade, Mr Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, before going into a briefing session with the governors and members of his team. The delegation is scheduled to visit the GDIZ on Friday, July 24, 2026, where they will engage with Beninese officials and private-sector operators to study the industrial hub's model for agricultural value addition and export-driven manufacturing. The visit represents a significant step in Nigeria's efforts to revive its textile sector, which has suffered decades of decline, and to strengthen regional economic cooperation through the exchange of development models and industrial best practices.
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