Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday departed Abuja for the Republic of Benin on a high-level working visit aimed at exploring investment opportunities and practical models to support the revival of Nigeria’s textile industry and accelerate the country’s agro-industrial transformation.

Shettima is leading a delegation comprising of governors of six states and senior Federal Government officials to the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), an integrated industrial hub near Cotonou renowned for its value-added agricultural processing and export-driven manufacturing.

According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, the delegation will hold engagements with officials of the Beninese government, investors and private-sector operators managing the industrial zone.

The visit is expected to strengthen the implementation of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme by drawing lessons from Benin’s experience in agricultural value addition, industrial infrastructure, investment mobilisation, skills development and export-oriented production.

A major focus of the visit will be the GDIZ textile park, which operates a fully integrated production chain covering cotton spinning, weaving, fabric processing and garment manufacturing.

The 1,640-hectare industrial zone is designed to transform agricultural commodities from raw materials into finished products for export, a model Nigerian authorities hope to replicate in revitalising the country’s struggling textile sector.

The trip comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to revive an industry that has suffered decades of factory closures, weak local processing capacity and stiff competition from imported textiles and garments.

Despite these challenges, the National Bureau of Statistics estimates that Nigeria’s textile, apparel and footwear industry was valued at about ₦8.15 trillion in 2024 and recorded an additional ₦2.45 trillion in nominal output during the first quarter of 2025.

Officials said the visit would provide an opportunity to examine strategies for strengthening linkages among cotton farmers, ginneries, spinning mills, textile manufacturers, fashion businesses and export markets to build a more competitive domestic value chain.

The delegation is also expected to explore collaboration in technology transfer, industrial training, modern manufacturing equipment, reliable energy systems, common processing facilities and public-private partnerships to improve the quality and competitiveness of Nigerian cotton, fabrics and finished garments.

The engagement will further assess how lessons from the GDIZ model can support Nigeria’s agro-industrial zones, including plans for garment-training facilities and dedicated infrastructure for processing agricultural produce closer to farming communities.

The African Development Bank is already supporting the establishment of a garment-training centre under Nigeria’s SAPZ programme in Ogun State.

The Presidency said the visit aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on industrial revival, economic diversification, agricultural transformation, import substitution, job creation and expanding Nigeria’s non-oil exports.

Members of the Vice President’s delegation include Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda and Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi.