By Patrick Onuoha
Nigeria’s foremost food and infrastructure conglomerate, BUA Group, has engaged the services of renowned Swiss firm, Gherzi Textile Organization on studies, master plan design and engineering for the development of mega integrated Textile and Garment Cluster in Kastina State. This comes on the heels of the recent decision by the Group to establish West Africa’s largest private-led textile cluster in Kastina State.
It would be recalled that BUA Group recently entered into collaboration with the Kastina State Government to set-up a Textile and Garment Cluster which would generate over 25,000 jobs and revive the obsolete textile industry in Nigeria.
Speaking on the development, Kabiru Rabiu, Group Executive Director, BUA, said Gherzi was strategically contracted for the assignment because of its proven track record and vast expertise of textile mills and apparel parks worldwide.
He noted that the company has successfully undertaken and executed hundreds of textile and apparel parks in over 70 countries for public, private and international institutions across the globe.
According to the Rabiu ‘’As part of our plans to contribute to the revival of the textile industry, we partnered with the Swiss firm, Ghezi, which was established in 1929 because they are arguably the most experienced textile consulting company in the world today. Moreover, they have deep knowledge about the Nigerian textile industry as they were at one time contracted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to advise on the industry”.
The multinational company specializes in textiles, garments and the textile supply chain, particularly in IT, Architecture, Construction, Mechanical/Electrical engineering and Project management. Expectedly, they meet the stringent professional standard of the Swiss Association of Management Consultants (ASCO) and the Swiss Association of Engineers and Architects (SIA).
Still speaking on the KTGC development, Rabiu said “This particular investment is part of the Group’s efforts to help to generate over 25,000 jobs and make the moribund textile industry viable again in Nigeria.
“It is our firm belief that for Nigeria to really diversify her economy, large corporates like BUA have to play an active role in coming up with initiatives and investments in sectors that would have a maximum impact on the economy, while the government at both States and Federal levels provide all the necessary support to make them work, hence our decision to develop the KTGC.”
‘’Nigeria used to have the largest textile industry in Sub-Sahara Africa in the 1960s and 1980s when the industry played a dominant role in boosting the economy, contributing prominently to country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), today however, the sector that used to be the largest employer of labour after the Federal Government, contributes less than two percent to the economy’’.
‘’As a result of the oil boom and an oversight of the agricultural sector in the past, the textile industry was adversely affected. Nigeria imports some $4 billion worth of textiles from overseas, majority of which is smuggled to major textile markets in the country; a situation that has not only undermines the local industry, but deprives people of jobs, the government of revenue and drains country’s foreign reserves which is detrimental to the growth of the economy’’.
Rabiu stated that ‘’in order to revive the sector, Nigeria as a country, must try to be competitive. And to do that, it must replicate what other countries with thriving textile industries have done which is to have a sound policy and incentives on the part of the government, basic infrastructure as well as strong supply chain from cotton production to processing, all the way to distribution to the market, which is BUA is trying to put in place. “You can’t have a viable textile industry, for example, if you don’t have a stable and consistent energy supply’’. He adds.
‘’The concept of the cluster is necessitated by the need to create a strong supply chain and common facilities where most enterprises within the cluster can get their feedstock and off-take from within the facility in addition to Government’s incentives such as tax holidays and other export incentives that would make them competitive. In Nigeria today, any company wishing to establish a textile mill, would have to develop the whole process from start to finish which may seem risky given the size of the investment, contrary to what currently obtains in other countries with thriving textile industries’’.
‘’BUA is very optimistic about this project, most especially the impact it would have on the economy in terms of job creation and wealth generation. We therefore appreciate the efforts and support of his Excellency, Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari and the Federal Government through the ministry of Industry Trade and Investment for their role, and strong commitment toward making this project a big success and reality”. He affirmed.