Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has arrived in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, for a high-level working visit.
He was received on arrival by Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Corinne Amori Brunet, and the Minister of Tourism and External Trade, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari.
The visit, largely aimed at “strengthening the implementation of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme, seeks to draw inspiration from neighbouring countries and beyond.”
Upon arrival, he went into a briefing session with the Governors and members of his team.
The Vice President is being accompanied by Governors of Kwara, Imo, Jigawa, Plateau, Katsina and Zamfara States.
Also on the trip are the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari and other senior officials of the Nigerian Government.
The delegation will on Friday, visit the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) near Cotonou, where it will engage representatives of the Beninese government, investors and private-sector operators involved in the development and management of the industrial hub.
Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme stands to gain from the visit as they hope to draw positive lessons from Benin’s approach to agricultural value addition, industrial infrastructure, investment mobilisation, skills development and export-oriented production.
Particular attention will be given to the GDIZ textile park, which operates an integrated production system covering cotton spinning, weaving, fabric processing, and garment manufacturing.
The industrial zone covers about 1,640 hectares and is designed to move agricultural commodities from the supply of raw materials through processing to the export of finished products.
This visit comes at a time when the Nigerian government is seeking to rebuild a textile industry that remains economically significant despite years of factory closures, weak local processing, and intense competition from imported fabrics and garments.
The National Bureau of Statistics recently released figures indicating that Nigeria’s textile, apparel, and footwear industry was valued at approximately ₦8.15 trillion at current prices in 2024.
The industry generated another ₦2.45 trillion in nominal output during the first quarter of 2025.
VP Shettima’s visit to Benin will therefore provide an opportunity to examine how Nigeria can develop stronger linkages among cotton farmers, ginneries, spinning mills, textile manufacturers, fashion businesses and export markets.
The Nigerian delegation is also expected to explore opportunities for technology and industrial training, modern machinery, reliable energy systems, common processing facilities, and stronger public-private partnerships.
The visit aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its priorities of industrial revival, economic diversification, agricultural transformation, import substitution, job creation, and the expansion of Nigeria’s non-oil exports.
