Policy flip flops and lack of adequate knowledge of Nigeria’s textile industry have continued to hinder the industry’s growth and development, experts have said.
As posited by Ekweeike Chukwuma, founder of Wuman, a lack of historical information about textile has affected young people’s designs and knowledge of textile.
He made this known during the Source Textile and Apparel West African Conference 2022, held in Lagos.
“Unfriendly economic policies and poor business environment adversely affected the development of the textile and fashion industries. Ekweeike said. “Before we all focused on the oil industry, textile used to be one of the country’s earnings. The government and private sectors need to work together to revitalise the fashion and textile industries and create space for financial allocations that are accessible to designers.”
Sequel to that, Ozinna Anumudu, founder, Ozinna DotCom stated that there are young designers who have been discouraged in the sector owing to a lack of funding.
Read also: Stakeholders demand implementation of textile sector policies
“A designer is a creator; many young designers know what to do but for financial constraints to develop and deliver before being paid; instead, they will want their clients to pay so they can design, which will drag down the process,” Anumudu said. “There should be financial support from the public purse for designer funding and assistance.
Furthermore, Faith Oluwajimi, creative director and head designer of BLOKE, a fashion brand on his part, praised the film industry and afrobeat for using their designs to promote African culture.
Oluwajimi also stated that the government should regulate foreign exchange, the means for the importation and exportation of materials because young entrepreneurs struggle to meet up with fees and taxes.
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