ABUJA — The Federal Government has inaugurated a steering committee to draw up the framework for the proposed Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board (CTGDB), a key plank of efforts to revive Nigeria’s once-thriving textile industry, grow non-oil exports and create jobs across the value chain. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, inaugurated the committee in Abuja, saying the move aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” on economic diversification, job creation and industrial revitalisation.
Government officials said the push to create the CTG board was approved by the National Economic Council (NEC) at its 149th meeting on April 24, 2025, after presentations by industry stakeholders on how to rebuild the cotton–textile–garment chain. Under the NEC plan, the board is expected to serve as a sector-wide coordinating and regulatory platform, and—when fully set up—will be domiciled in the Presidency, designed to be private sector-driven with public sector representation, and funded from the Textile Import Levy collected by the Nigeria Customs Service.
Akume said Nigeria’s cotton and textile sector, once a major employer and export earner, has struggled for years due to declining production, infrastructure gaps, policy inconsistency, limited financing, smuggling and intense competition from imported materials. He urged the committee to prioritise local content and push public-private partnerships as it develops recommendations for the board’s operational model.
According to the government statement, the steering committee is chaired by Abia Ifiok Bassey, Director overseeing Political and Economic Affairs in the Office of the SGF, and includes representatives from industry bodies and groups such as the Nigerian Textile Manufacturers Association (NTMA), Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN), National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN), the Cotton Ginners Association of Nigeria (CGAN), the Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Forum (CTGDF) and Kaduna State, among others.
Its terms of reference include reviewing NEC decisions on the board, proposing sustainable funding and budget options, recommending supportive policies, defining the board’s composition and regulatory powers, and producing a report for submission to the President. CTGDF coordinator Anibe Achimugu described the inauguration as a shift “from advocacy to implementation,” arguing that the proposed board should provide an integrated platform to coordinate policy, investment, incentives, standards and performance across the entire value chain—from cotton farming through spinning, weaving and garment manufacturing.
