Revive United Nigeria Textiles, Sanusi Tells FG

The 16th Emir of Kano, Dr. Muhammadu Sanusi II has called on the federal government to revive United Nigeria Textiles Limited (UNTL) in Kaduna. He warns that the collapse of the once-thriving industrial giant has placed over 10,000 jobs at risk and deepened insecurity in the region.

Sanusi issued the appeal in Kaduna on Tuesday during a strategic tour and stakeholder engagement led by Senator John Enoh, the minister of state for industry, trade, and investment. The visit is part of the Tinubu administration’s push to revitalise Nigeria’s textile, cotton, and garment industry under the industrialisation pillar of its 8-Point Agenda.

“The factory’s cessation of operations in 2022 is worrying, despite its legacy of employing over 10,000 workers across the textile value chain, from spinning and weaving to printing and garment production,” Sanusi said.

He warned that UNTL’s continued dormancy, once West Africa’s largest textile firm, could exacerbate unemployment, especially among youth and women, and fuel social unrest.

Sanusi blamed the company’s collapse on a combination of factors, including an unreliable power supply, unchecked smuggling and dumping of foreign textiles, and weak intellectual property rights enforcement that discouraged innovation and local investment.

“The socio-economic impact of UNTL’s collapse, particularly on youth and women, may result in rising regional insecurity. We appeal to the federal government to urgently address these challenges.”

Senator Enoh acknowledged the Emir’s concerns and reaffirmed the federal government’s resolve to revitalise the textile sector.

He noted that under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, steps have already been taken to reposition the industry, including engagements with key sub-sector stakeholders to identify policy bottlenecks and explore public-private partnerships.

“These include promoting stronger collaboration with development partners to strengthen frameworks that support local manufacturing and enhance Nigeria’s export competitiveness,” Enoh said.

He described UNTL’s revival as both symbolic and economically strategic, adding that restoring operations at the Kaduna-based firm would boost confidence in Nigeria’s industrial base and catalyse broader manufacturing recovery.