The Nigerian Manufacturers Association (MAN) has indicated that the creation of polypropylene at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals facility will rejuvenate Nigeria’s faltering textile sector and help the nation save $267 million annually on imports.
During an appearance on a local TV channel, the Director-General of MAN, Segun Kadir-Ajayi, discussed the challenges faced by the textile sector, noting that this field previously flourished and provided jobs to more than 25,000 individuals aged from 18 to 40 solely within the northern area. He elaborated that numerous businesses have had to close because they lack access to domestic polypropylene manufacturing and face difficulties obtaining sufficient foreign currency needed for importing materials.
He added that the manufacture of polypropylene at Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals will guarantee that Nigeria, which presently imports 90% of its yearly polypropylene needs (totaling 250,000 metric tons), can now turn into a net exporter, thereby earning foreign currency to bolster the nation’s economy.
“In the manufacturing sector, we view this as a positive move. It surpasses the requirement for the 250,000 metric tons needed nationally, which have previously fallen short. The implications extend across various industries—the textiles, plastics, and furniture sectors among them. Approximately $267 million could be conserved annually with this change; currently, these funds are used to cover imports using precious foreign currency. For those involved in manufacturing, this is encouraging news since it encourages further investments within the sector,” he stated.
Kadir expressed his concern over the textile industry’s downfall, which resulted in significant job losses. He mentioned that with the local manufacturing of polypropylene, producers can stop depending on imported materials. According to him, this shift will lower expenses and boost productivity.
“I’ve observed the worldwide tendency of the textile sector depending heavily on the petrochemical industry. Therefore, you can envision the significant growth this will provide to the field. Additionally, since it’s now accessible domestically, we won’t need to continually seek foreign currency to fulfill our requirements. This is indeed uplifting news for producers,” he stated.
He encouraged the federal authorities and other involved parties to back the domestic manufacture of polypropylene via various incentives, emphasizing that this move could draw additional investments into the industry and boost manufacturing’s impact on the country’s GDP. Furthermore, he mentioned that such actions would greatly assist the administration in reaching its target of a $1 trillion economy.
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