Vice President Kashim Shettima has led a delegation of six state governors and senior government officials on a working visit to the Republic of Benin to explore strategies for revitalising Nigeria’s textile industry.
According to a statement by the Vice President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the delegation will visit the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) near Cotonou to study its integrated agro-industrial model and identify lessons that can support Nigeria’s industrial and agricultural transformation.
The delegation includes Governors Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Dikko Radda (Katsina), and Umar Namadi (Jigawa).
During the visit, the team will engage with Beninese government officials, investors, and private-sector operators managing the 1,640-hectare industrial hub, which integrates cotton production, textile processing, garment manufacturing, and export operations.
The visit is expected to support the implementation of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme, with a focus on establishing garment-training centres, improving processing infrastructure, and strengthening the textile value chain.
The Federal Government hopes to adapt the GDIZ model to boost local cotton production, textile manufacturing, job creation, non-oil exports, and reduce dependence on imported fabrics and garments.
The initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises industrial revival, economic diversification, agricultural transformation, and sustainable economic growth.
