The Nigeria Senate Hopes To Ban Textile Imports Within Five Years.

The Senate called on the federal government to ban imports of textiles in five years to allow local businesses to produce textiles, according to Nigeria's "attack newspaper" reported on Tuesday. The Senate also appealed to the federal government to provide the necessary infrastructure, especially to supply the local textile enterprises to reduce the cost of the textile industry, to provide concessionary loans to local textile enterprises and provide loan convenience.

At the plenary session, Senator Kabir Bakya put forward the motion of "urgent need to transform the country's sluggish textile industry". He pointed out that the textile industry had played an important role in the manufacturing industry of Nigeria, especially in 60s and 70s, there were more than 140 companies, which grew at an annual rate of 67%. By 1991, more than 25% workers in the manufacturing sector were employed. At that time, textile workers were the highest paid jobs outside the civil service. In the past twenty years, textile enterprises have been slump and textile workers have been laid off. Senator Robert Poroffiths said textile imports were the cause of the downturn in the textile industry.

Senate President Ahmed Lavan believes that Nigeria has signed the free trade agreement on the African continent, and can not easily give up the opportunities of international trade. It must enhance the competitiveness of its industries and prepare for possible industrial shocks.