Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on African countries to stop exporting raw materials without processing them, urging governments across the continent to prioritise industrialisation and value addition to strengthen their economies.
Speaking on Friday during a tour of the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in Cotonou, Benin Republic, Shettima said Africa must take greater control of its natural resources by developing industries capable of transforming raw materials into finished products.
He said Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda, driven by President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope programme, would involve close collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments to ensure inclusive economic development.
The Vice President commended Benin Republic for its progress in processing and exporting locally sourced agricultural products, describing the country’s industrial model as one Nigeria could learn from.
Shettima lamented that despite Africa’s abundant cotton production, the continent accounts for only about one per cent of the global cotton industry, valued at approximately $370 billion. According to him, reviving Nigeria’s textile industry would generate millions of jobs, expand non-oil exports and stimulate economic growth.
During the visit, he inspected facilities involved in the production of cotton textiles, cashew processing and soya bean oil manufacturing.
He explained that the Nigerian delegation was in Benin on the directive of President Tinubu to study successful industrial models that could be replicated at home.
“We are here essentially at the behest of President Tinubu, in the spirit of his Renewed Hope Agenda, to see and peer-review global best practices,” Shettima said.
He noted that Nigeria is establishing eight agro-industrial zones across eight states and said the lessons from the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone would support the country’s efforts to build integrated value chains in sectors such as cotton, cashew and soya beans.
Describing the industrial zone as an African success story, Shettima said Nigeria intended to adopt several of the strategies employed in Benin to enhance local manufacturing and increase the value of agricultural commodities before export.
The Vice President reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria into a globally competitive industrial economy.
Officials of the Beninese government briefed the delegation on the industrial zone’s operations, production capacity and investment opportunities before leading them on a tour of textile and agro-processing facilities where locally produced cotton is converted into yarn, fabrics and finished garments, while cashew and other agricultural products are processed for domestic use and export.
The visit forms part of Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen agriculture-to-industry linkages, attract private investment and promote the local processing of raw materials.
Shettima was accompanied on the visit by the governors of Kwara, Imo, Katsina, Plateau, Zamfara and Jigawa states.
