Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has revealed that Nigeria loses approximately $3 billion annually due to the dominance of foreign manufacturers in the production of ankara, a widely popular fabric across West and Central Africa. Speaking at the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND) 2024 in Algiers, Musawa emphasized the need to boost local production to reclaim Africa’s fashion and textile market.
In a statement released by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Nneka Anibeze, Musawa stressed that fabrics such as adire, kente, bogolan, and ankara are vital symbols of African heritage, history, and identity.
She expressed concern that nearly 90 percent of ankara consumed in Africa is imported from foreign manufacturers. “We must change this,” she urged. “We need to strengthen local production capacities and keep the economic benefits of this industry within our borders.”
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Musawa also highlighted the fashion industry’s significant economic potential, with Africa’s fashion market projected to reach $15.5 billion by 2025. She underscored the importance of addressing the structural barriers hindering local production and noted the industry’s potential for job creation, especially for women and youth.
“By investing in local production, we can transform Africa into a global fashion hub,” she said, adding that her ministry is working on initiatives to establish manufacturing hubs and training programs as part of the Design Nexus and Destination 2030 agenda to further boost Nigeria’s creative economy.
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