Nigeria’s textile heritage is a testament to and reflects its diverse culture, traditions, and history. Nigerian textiles transcend various techniques, including weaving, dyeing, and intricate embroidery. Each fabric represents a unique piece of culture and presents a unique story. These textiles symbolise identity, history, and craftsmanship and hold significant economic and cultural potential.
Nigerian culture is rich in traditional fabrics, each bearing a unique significance. The Aso Oke is a handwoven fabric primarily used by the Yorubas for essential ceremonies like weddings and festivals.
Known for its intricate patterns, it signifies wealth, honour, and status traditionally reserved for royalty and high society. Weaving techniques are passed down through generations, blending contemporary styles with traditional methods.
Adire is a tie-dye fabric with historical roots in southwestern Nigeria, particularly among the Yoruba people. It is a cultural heritage and entrepreneurial craft in the region.
This indigo-dyed cloth uses resist-dye techniques to create complex designs that reflect the wearer’s social status, emotions, and position. Adire has undergone innovation, and designers now incorporate it into streetwear and haute couture.
Dutch wax prints, Ankara, initially became synonymous with African fashion, especially in Nigeria. Characterised by its bright colours and bold patterns, Ankara is versatile and worn as everyday clothing or tailored for special occasions. Ankara combines traditional African motifs with modern styles, appealing to local and global fashion enthusiasts.
With deep ties to India, the George fabric has been embraced by Nigerian cultures, especially the Igbos in southern Nigeria. With its soft, luxurious texture and detailed embroidery, George is a popular choice for brides and festival attire, evolving into a vital component of traditional clothing with contemporary designs.
Nigeria also boasts lesser-known fabrics like Akwete (a loom-woven textile from southern Nigeria and a significant fabric, especially among the Igbo people), Ukara, Ndop (originally from Cameroon, Ndop features intricate geometric patterns created through resist-dyeing techniques and signifies social status and cultural heritage), and Okene.
The State of Fashion Tourism in Nigeria
The tourism potential of Nigerian textiles has been and is still grossly untapped. Nigeria’s fashion and textile industry possesses untapped supply chain opportunities that could benefit significantly from integration with the tourism sector. In 2024, Nigeria’s tourism sector generated ₦9.55 trillion (approximately $14.8 billion), representing about 3.9% of the nation’s GDP, and created 2.71 million jobs, up from 1.98 million in 2023. The fashion industry is estimated to be worth $4.7 billion, indicating substantial room for growth through the infusion of fashion and travel.
Contributing to the lag in tapping Nigeria’s textile sector as a tool for tourism is the sector’s stubborn decline. Nigeria’s textile sector was once a major economic force, employing over one million people and significantly contributing to the country’s GDP. In the 1980s, the industry thrived with over 175 textile mills. The sector has declined due to failed revitalisation efforts, increased imports, unreliable power supply, and inconsistent government policies. In the first quarter of 2024, the textile trade showed a significant deficit, with imports far exceeding exports. The sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP has also decreased. Nigeria currently has 25 textile mills operating at an average of 40% capacity, employing approximately 25,000 people, a far cry from the sector’s peak in the 90s when it boasted around 180 textile mills, employing over one million workers.
More so, the sector tells a sad tale of failed revitalisation initiatives. From the Textile Development Fund of 2007, the $3.3 billion Nigeria industrialisation financing facility, the Cotton, Textile and Garment Revival Scheme In 2010 – a Bank of Industry scheme worth N30 billion, the engagement with the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) to develop a roadmap for reviving the cotton and textile sector in Nigeria, and various multi-billion dollar investments in market development and export diversification, the Nigeria textile sector is yet to re-attain its peak thus rubbing off on the sectors perceived pull of tourism as inconsistent policies, lack of focus on international competitiveness, and infrastructure deficits continue to bite hard.
Solutions for Repositioning Nigeria’s Textile Industry
Tourism is about experiencing a place’s culture, and local fashion is an excellent medium for cultural expression. Nigeria’s rich history of textiles and traditional apparel presents an enormous opportunity to showcase and promote local arts while stimulating economic growth. As such, Nigeria needs to invest in and leverage fashion tourism experiences. Nigeria needs to refocus fashion tourism tours, offering visitors curated experiences where they can visit textile markets, witness the craftsmanship of traditional weavers, and purchase unique, handmade fashion items. Also, integrating fashion showcases into cultural events like the Durbar Festival can highlight traditional conventions like the Aso Oke and Adire, offering tourists a firsthand experience of how these fabrics are woven and dyed.
Nigeria needs to borrow a leaf from global counterparts that have succeeded in generating global recognition for local textiles. Kenya has transformed its Maasai Shuka cloth into an internationally recognised symbol of Kenyan culture, drawing tourists who purchase Maasai-inspired fashion items that contribute directly to local economies. Peru also has a thriving tourism industry around its traditional Andean textiles, with tourists visiting local villages to see firsthand how alpaca wool is woven into intricate patterns, creating jobs for thousands of women. In Rwanda, tourists are guided through cooperatives producing Umusambi silk, adding value to their travel experience while promoting local business.
Nigeria must leverage destination marketing to prop up cities like Lagos, Abeokuta, and Kano as fashion capitals, celebrating local crafts and textiles through dedicated campaigns for international visitors. As Nigerian textiles such as Aso Oke, Adire, and Ankara are gaining international recognition, and designers like Deola Sagoe and Lisa Folawiyo are making waves internationally, events like Lagos Fashion Week should be tapped to attract international buyers and fashion enthusiasts, demonstrating the global appeal of the local fashion industry.
The Nigerian government must also establish consistent and supportive policies for the textile sector, including subsidies for local manufacturers, import restrictions on cheap foreign textiles, and tax incentives for companies investing in textile production. To encourage growth, incentives should also be provided for local manufacturers, such as tax breaks, subsidies, and low-interest loans.
Nigeria needs to address infrastructure issues, particularly in energy. It needs to invest in renewable energy sources and reliable power grids to improve production efficiency and reduce reliance on costly generators. It must also improve its general infrastructure, such as highways, airports, and visitor centres, to enhance the visitor experience and access to tourist destinations.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is fashion tourism, and how can it benefit Nigeria?
 Fashion tourism involves travelling to experience and participate in fashion-related activities, such as visiting textile markets, attending fashion shows, and learning about traditional crafts. For Nigeria, it can diversify revenue sources, promote cultural values, revive the local textile industry, create jobs, and provide networking opportunities for fashion designers.
- Which Nigerian textiles can be promoted through tourism?
Nigeria has a rich history of textiles, including Aso Oke, Adire, and Ankara, which are gaining international recognition. These textiles can be showcased through fashion tourism to attract tourists and boost the local economy.
- How can Nigeria integrate fashion into its tourism strategy?
 Nigeria can integrate fashion into its tourism strategy by introducing fashion tourism tours, marketing cities like Lagos and Kano as fashion capitals, and including fashion shows in cultural events. This can create jobs in textile production, garment design, and retail and boost exports of locally made garments.
- What are some successful examples of fashion tourism in other countries that Nigeria can emulate?
Kenya has transformed its Maasai Shuka cloth into an internationally recognised symbol of Kenyan culture, attracting tourists who purchase Maasai-inspired fashion items. Peru has a thriving tourism industry around its traditional Andean textiles, with tourists visiting local villages to see how alpaca wool is woven into intricate patterns. Nigeria can emulate these models by highlighting its sustainable practices and marketing them to an international audience.
- What are the challenges and solutions for developing fashion tourism in Nigeria?
 Challenges include inadequate infrastructure, security concerns, and the need for strict security measures. Solutions involve improving infrastructure such as highways, airports, and visitor centres and implementing strict security measures to ensure visitor safety. Additionally, addressing issues like smuggling, high operating costs, and poor infrastructure in the textile industry is crucial.
