Indian Chamber of Commerce and Leoht Africa have partnered to boost the retail sector of Nigeria’s textile industry and position it as a leading hub in the Central and West African market.
Leoht Africa is an international business strategy and management consulting firm.
Bunmi Aliyu, MD, Leoht Africa said the partnership aims to build a yearly and sustainable international sourcing platform for organisations to trade and secure orders from corporate buyers and resellers.
During the 2021 edition of the Source Textile and Apparel and Retail Sourcing Fair West Africa Exhibitions, she said that the Nigerian retail sector has survived, adapted and thrived despite the challenges, just as research by the Global Retail Development Index showed that Nigeria is the leading retail market in Africa with US $295billion of retail sales recorded in 2020.
Debmalya Banerjee, Regional Director, Indian Chamber of Commerce, Kolkata said the textile sector in Nigeria was one of the largest private employers in the past as it provided employment to over 1 million Nigerians and had always been a major player in the manufacturing sector of the economy.
He said the large vibrant consumer market, talented and enterprising young population, attractive geographical location and launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), provide the right opportunity for Nigeria to become a leading textile hub in the Central and West African market.
“India, with its position as one of the largest cotton growers in the world and producers of textiles, is capable of helping Nigeria in reviving its textile and apparel sector,” he said and further added that India is working to boost its technical textile industry and would be willing to partner with and support Nigeria in terms of provision of textile machinery, technology, capacity building and training in the entire textile value chain.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
