The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment envisaging development of Ready-Made Garment in Nigeria signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday with Clothing 360, part of KACK Group a major player in the readymade garment industry around the globe, to promote implementation of the policy on Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG). Other areas of intervention include the promotion of the Made in Nigeria Initiative, which involves an e-commerce platform.

The Minister of State, Mrs Aisha Abubakar, at the signing ceremony said that the MoU was to “concretise and harmonise ideas with a view to ensuring more private sector participation.’’ The industry would grow faster with public and private patronage. She added that the MoU would not restrict any organisation seeking to partner with the ministry in the same regard.

To this end, they are pursuing the implementation of the procurement of uniforms for the armed forces, paramilitary, schools and hospitals by the three tiers of government as a way of stimulating growth in the sector.

The conversion of some of the industrial development centres into garmenting production hubs, promoting ready-made wears, aggressive sensitisation of the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) and exhibitions.

The minister implored other stakeholders in the industry to bring in pragmatic solutions to the industry.

According to the Director, Clothing 360, Miss Oreofe Akinkugbe, the MoU was an indication that the Federal Government was serious about industrializing the non-oil sector as well as diversifying export base.

The signing of the MoU is going to enable them forge ahead with more determination and to see results towards the sustainable development of CTG value chain. As the company was created to stimulate concerted efforts to organize and develop Nigeria’s ready-made garment industry.

They foresee Nigeria one day becoming the preferred emerging hub for global export of quality and affordable ready-made garments and textiles.