NO fewer than six Nigerian governors have pledged to draw practical lessons from the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in the Republic of Benin as part of efforts to revive Nigeria’s textile industry, strengthen domestic manufacturing and accelerate industrialisation across their respective states.
News Point Nigeria reports that the governors made the commitment while accompanying Vice President Kashim Shettima on an inspection tour of the integrated industrial zone near Cotonou, describing the facility as a practical model for transforming agriculture into large-scale industrial production.
The visit formed part of the Federal Government’s drive under President Bola Tinubu’s administration to establish agro-industrial processing hubs across the country, revive domestic manufacturing and create sustainable employment through value addition to agricultural products.
The delegation comprised Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma; Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal; Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang; Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda; and Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi.
The governors observed that the GDIZ model demonstrated how deliberate government policies, reliable infrastructure and sustained private-sector investment could successfully connect farmers with processors, reduce the export of raw commodities and create thousands of jobs across agriculture and manufacturing.
Speaking during the tour, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the visit as an African peer-learning mission designed to help Nigerian states avoid costly mistakes while adopting tested and successful industrial development strategies.
According to him, Nigeria is already on the verge of establishing industrial processing zones across the federation, making it necessary for state governments to understudy successful models within Africa.
“Nigeria is on the verge of developing industrial processing zones across the federation.
“We previously visited Ethiopia to study what they had done, and we are now in Benin Republic to learn from both the challenges and the successes of this industrial zone.
“We have examined the cotton, cashew and soybean value chains. What we have seen has been a tremendous success, and we will take these lessons back to Nigeria as we implement our own projects,” AbdulRazaq said.
The Kwara governor added that participating states were already collaborating with the Federal Government and development partners to provide the critical infrastructure required for the successful establishment and operation of the proposed industrial zones.
Governor Umar Namadi said the visit had provided valuable lessons that would support Jigawa State’s ambition to add value to agricultural production under Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme.
According to him, the industrial ecosystem demonstrated in Benin Republic offers a practical roadmap for industrialising Jigawa while creating sustainable employment opportunities for young people.
“What we have seen here is very encouraging, both for us as a country and as a state.
“We have learnt many things that will help us industrialise Jigawa and create sustainable jobs for our young people,” Namadi said.
He explained that adopting the GDIZ concept through the implementation of the SAPZ programme would enable Jigawa to process more of its agricultural products locally, increase value addition and create greater economic opportunities for residents.
Governor Dauda Lawal said the visit brought back memories of Zamfara State’s once-thriving textile industry, recalling a period when textile factories, cotton ginneries and oil mills employed thousands of workers.
“This takes me down memory lane because I grew up around this industry. My father was one of the owners of the Zamfara Textile Industry.
“At one point, the factory operated three shifts, with about 2,000 workers on each shift. Zamfara also had about 23 ginneries and an oil mill, where even cotton seeds were converted into oil,” Lawal recalled.
The governor said the success of the GDIZ had strengthened his resolve to restore cotton production and revive textile manufacturing in Zamfara State.
“This visit has given me a clear pathway. Reviving this industry is one of the legacies I want to leave in Zamfara State, and I am determined to make it a reality,” he said.
Lawal added that restoring the entire cotton value chain would create opportunities for farmers, processors and manufacturers, generate employment and improve the economic wellbeing of residents across the state.
Governor Hope Uzodimma stressed the need for African countries to deepen peer learning and build industries around their comparative advantages in order to create employment, stimulate economic growth and promote shared prosperity.
He also commended President Bola Tinubu for directing Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead the delegation, describing the visit as a practical demonstration of the administration’s commitment to industrialisation.
“We are satisfied with what we have seen. If this model is properly adopted in Nigeria, with every state building around its comparative advantage, we will create the prosperity and employment opportunities our people need,” Uzodimma said.
Governor Dikko Radda expressed confidence that the production systems deployed at the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone could be successfully replicated in Nigerian states with strong agricultural value chains.
He noted that Katsina State remained one of Nigeria’s leading cotton-producing states and also possessed significant strengths in soybean production.
“What we have seen today is achievable in our states. Katsina is one of Nigeria’s major cotton-producing states, and we are also doing well in soybean production.
“We have both comparative and competitive advantages in these commodities. By applying the lessons from this zone, we can create jobs for our young people, generate wealth and build stronger links between agriculture and industry,” Radda said.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang described the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone as a successful proof of concept, saying its transformation from an idea into a thriving industrial ecosystem demonstrated the importance of political commitment, careful planning and competent management.
“What we have seen is something that has moved from an idea to reality. The lesson is that this kind of success requires intentionality.
“It cannot happen by chance. It requires political will and the appointment of the right people to drive the process,” Mutfwang stated.
The Plateau governor further noted that Nigeria, and Plateau State in particular, possessed enormous economic potential but must deliberately transition from exporting raw agricultural products to processing them into finished goods.
“We came with the Vice President to see a practical demonstration of what we have been discussing. This aligns with the President’s vision of building a $1tn economy.
“It demonstrates that ambition must be driven by production, processing and a firm belief that Nigeria has the capacity to achieve it,” Mutfwang added.