Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has called on African nations to assert greater control over the continent’s resources and strengthen their role in global trade.
Speaking on Friday during a tour of the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, Shettima emphasized the need for Africa to move beyond raw material exports by building industries that add value through processing and manufacturing.
He highlighted Nigeria’s renewed industrialisation drive under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that no region would be left behind as the Federal Government collaborates with state governments to establish eight agro-industrial zones across the country.
Shettima praised Benin’s success in developing integrated value chains for cotton, cashew, and soya bean, noting that Africa currently benefits from only about one percent of the $370 billion global cotton industry.
He said reviving Nigeria’s textile sector could generate millions of jobs, boost non-oil exports, and stimulate nationwide economic growth.
After inspecting facilities for cotton, textile, cashew, and soya bean oil production, Shettima described GDIZ as “an African success story” and pledged that Nigeria would replicate lessons learned from Benin’s model.
The vice president was accompanied by governors from Kwara, Imo, Katsina, Plateau, Zamfara, and Jigawa states, as the delegation explored opportunities to attract private investment and transform Nigeria’s raw materials into higher-value finished products.
