Shettima Leads Governors, Federal Delegation to Benin Republic on Agro-Industrial Investment Mission
Vice President Kashim Shettima will depart Abuja on Thursday for a high-level working visit to the Republic of Benin, leading a delegation of state governors and senior Federal Government officials on an investment and industrial development mission.
During the visit, the delegation will tour the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) near Cotonou, where they will hold engagements with officials of the Beninese government, investors and private-sector operators driving the development of the industrial hub.
The visit is aimed at strengthening the implementation of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme by studying Benin’s successful model of agricultural value addition, industrial infrastructure development, investment mobilisation, skills development and export-oriented manufacturing.
A key highlight of the visit will be the GDIZ textile park, an integrated industrial facility that covers the entire cotton value chain, including spinning, weaving, fabric processing and garment manufacturing.
Spanning approximately 1,640 hectares, the industrial zone is designed to transform agricultural raw materials into finished products for both domestic and international markets.
The visit comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to revive Nigeria’s textile industry, which has suffered decades of factory closures, weak local processing and increased competition from imported fabrics and garments.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s textile, apparel and footwear industry was valued at about ₦8.15 trillion in 2024 and generated an additional ₦2.45 trillion in nominal output during the first quarter of 2025.
The delegation is expected to examine strategies for strengthening linkages between cotton farmers, ginneries, spinning mills, textile manufacturers, fashion entrepreneurs and export markets, with a view to boosting local production and reducing dependence on imports.
Officials will also explore opportunities for technology transfer, industrial skills development, modern manufacturing equipment, reliable energy systems, shared processing facilities and stronger public-private partnerships to enhance the competitiveness of Nigeria’s textile and garment industry.
The engagement will further assess how the GDIZ model can support the development of Nigeria’s agro-industrial processing zones, including garment training centres and dedicated infrastructure for processing agricultural produce close to farming communities.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is already supporting plans to establish a garment-training centre under Nigeria’s SAPZ programme in Ogun State.
The Presidency said the visit aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on industrialisation, economic diversification, agricultural transformation, import substitution, job creation and the expansion of Nigeria’s non-oil exports.
The Vice President’s delegation includes the governors of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma; Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal; Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang; Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Katsina State, Dikko Umar Radda; and Jigawa State, Umar Namadi.
The statement was issued by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President.
Shettima Leads Governors, Federal Delegation to Benin Republic on Agro-Industrial Investment Mission