Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to depart Abuja on Thursday for a high-level working visit to the Republic of Benin, as part of plans to revive Nigeria’s moribund textile industry and create industrial hubs across Nigeria.
BusinessDay gathered that the visit, which will take the delegation to Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone, GDIZ, near Cotonou, is aimed at strengthening the implementation of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme and drawing practical lessons from Benin’s approach to agricultural value addition, industrial infrastructure, investment mobilisation, skills development and export-oriented production.
Shettima, who is being accompanied by some state governors and senior officials of the Federal Government, will engage representatives of the Beninese government, investors and private-sector operators involved in the development and management of the industrial hub.
Recall that the African Development Bank ADB is reported to be supporting plans for a garment-training centre within Nigeria’s SAPZ programme in Ogun State.
Stanley Nkwocha, SpokParticular attention will be given to the GDIZ textile park, which operates an integrated production system covering cotton spinning, weaving, fabric processing and garment manufacturing.
