Delegation seeks insights from Benin’s Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone to support Nigeria’s textile industry revival and agro-industrial development.
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday led a high-level Nigerian delegation to the Republic of Benin on a study visit to the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s textile industry and accelerate industrial development.
The delegation comprises six state governors and senior federal government officials who are expected to examine the operational model of the industrial zone and identify strategies that can be adapted to Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme.
The governors on the delegation are Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Dikko Radda of Katsina State and Umar Namadi of Jigawa State.
According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the delegation will tour the 1,640-hectare Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone near Cotonou and hold discussions with government officials, investors and private sector operators responsible for developing and managing the facility.
The visit is aimed at drawing lessons that could support the revitalisation of Nigeria’s textile sector, which has experienced decades of factory closures, declining local production and increasing competition from imported products.
The GDIZ operates an integrated manufacturing system that links cotton production with spinning, weaving, fabric processing and garment manufacturing, creating a complete value chain that transforms agricultural raw materials into finished products for export.
Nkwocha said the Nigerian delegation will assess how similar models can be integrated into the country’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones to improve local manufacturing and strengthen agricultural value chains.
The team is also expected to study garment production training centres and processing facilities located close to farming communities, with particular attention to workforce development and industrial skills acquisition.
According to the statement, the African Development Bank is supporting plans to establish a garment training centre under Nigeria’s SAPZ Programme in Ogun State.
Government officials believe adopting an integrated value chain approach could strengthen links between cotton farmers, ginneries, textile manufacturers, fashion designers and export markets, reducing dependence on imported textile products while creating employment opportunities across agriculture, manufacturing, logistics and retail.
The delegation will also examine the strategies employed by the Benin industrial zone to attract investment, develop industrial infrastructure, promote exports and build technical capacity.
Other areas of focus include technology transfer, industrial training, modern production equipment, reliable energy supply, shared processing facilities and stronger public-private partnerships.
The Federal Government estimates that Nigeria’s textile, apparel and footwear industry was valued at approximately ₦8.15 trillion in 2024, with nominal output of about ₦2.45 trillion recorded during the first quarter of 2025.
The study visit forms part of broader efforts by the Tinubu administration to promote industrialisation, diversify the economy, strengthen agricultural processing, expand non-oil exports and create sustainable employment opportunities under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
