By Chiagoziem Abosi
Edited by Bababunmi Agbebi
That fabric you bought recently may have a bigger story behind its price tag.
Nigeria imported about ₦1.06 trillion worth of textiles and textile articles in 2025, up from roughly ₦726 billion the previous year. That means the country spent more than ₦1 trillion on imported textiles in just one year.
And the numbers are still climbing. In the first quarter of 2026, textile imports reached about ₦267.7 billion, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
But what does this have to do with you?
Quite a lot.
Imported fabrics give Nigerians more choices, and thousands of fashion businesses rely on them.
But heavy dependence on imports also means local businesses are exposed to exchange rates, shipping costs and other expenses involved in bringing products into Nigeria.
For a Lagos fashion designer or tailor, an increase in the cost of fabric can eventually mean an increase in the price of the clothes you order.
So, when your tailor says, “Madam, fabric don cost,” there may actually be a bigger economic story behind it.
Nigeria has a long history of textile production, but local manufacturers face several challenges.
These include high production costs, unreliable electricity, limited access to affordable financing, outdated equipment and textile smuggling which makes it difficult for locally produced textiles to compete with cheaper imported alternatives.
And the consequences go beyond factories.
The textile value chain includes cotton farmers, manufacturers, factory workers, designers, tailors, wholesalers and retailers.
When local production struggles, all these businesses can feel the impact.
Should Nigeria simply ban imported textiles?
Not so fast, some business groups have warned that doing this without fixing the problems facing local producers could increase prices and hurt businesses that currently depend on imported materials.
The better question may therefore be:
Can Nigeria make locally produced textiles good and affordable enough for Nigerians to actually choose them?
