Share
Olugbemi. Adeyinka Ogunleye
2 weeks ago
Overview
Nigeria loses billions as nearly 90% of Ankara fabrics are imported report
Hannatu Musawa, the minister of art, culture, and creative economy, says Nigeria loses $3 billion annually to foreign manufacturers of ankara, a common African wax print popular in West and Central Africa.
Nneka Anibeze, the minister’s special adviser on media and publicity, said in a statement on Wednesday that Musawa spoke at the Creative Africa Nexus weekend summit in Algiers.
Stressing the need to empower Africa’s fashion and textile ecosystem, Musawa said fabrics such as adire, kente, bogolan, and ankara embody Africa’s pride, history, and identity.
“Despite this heritage, it is deeply ironic that many of the fabrics we cherish, such as ankara, are predominantly produced outside Africa,” the minister said.
Advertisement
“Nearly 90 percent of the ankara consumed on our continent is imported, leading to an annual loss of approximately $3 billion to foreign manufacturers. We must change this.
“We must reclaim our fashion narrative by strengthening local production capacities and ensuring that the benefits of this vibrant industry remain within our borders.”
Musawa said Africa’s fashion industry is projected to grow to $15.5 billion by 2025.
More: https://www.thecable.ng/musawa-nigeria-loses-3bn-annually-to-foreign-manufacturers-of-ankara/
