April 24, (THEWILL) — A former Minister of Environment, Lawrencia Mallam, has decried the collapse of Nigeria’s once-thriving textile industry, describing it as a “national shame” that has worsened unemployment and insecurity.
She spoke in Lagos at the launch of Do the Needful: Chronicling the Life and Times of Comrade Dele Ariyo, a memoir honouring late textile union pioneer, Lawrence Ariyo. The event attracted stakeholders from academia, labour, and manufacturing.
Mallam said the shutdown of textile mills—especially in Kaduna, once a vibrant industrial hub—reflected years of policy neglect and infrastructural decay. According to her, the industry’s downfall also mirrors the collapse of cotton production, which previously sustained local manufacturing.
“The textile industry in Nigeria is dead”, she said, stressing that erratic electricity remains the biggest obstacle to revival. “Fix power, and investors will return—not just to textiles, but to many industries.”
She also lamented Nigeria’s reliance on imported fabrics, noting that the country has lost its position as a leading textile producer in Africa.
Mallam argued that reviving the sector would directly address unemployment and insecurity, as job creation is key to national stability.
Also speaking, Lagos State University’s Dean of Social Sciences, Prof. Olufemi Lawal, described the memoir as a vital historical record, offering insight into the industry’s past and the structural failures behind its decline.
Author Olusegun Ariyo said the book is both a tribute and a call for urgent reforms, urging government action to revive textile production and expand jobs.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze is a writer specializing in business and economic journalism. At THEWILL News Media, she translates market trends, financial developments, and policy shifts into clear and engaging stories.
