Ola Daviva CEO, Olayemi Olatilewa, says Nigerian textile products are reaching neighbouring West African countries amid renewed efforts to strengthen local manufacturing.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with the effects of economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, developments in the country’s manufacturing sector are offering a glimpse of what local businesses can achieve when production opportunities extend beyond the domestic market.
One of the areas attracting attention is the textile industry, where Nigerian-made fabrics are finding buyers beyond the country’s borders, including in neighbouring West African countries.
For Olayemi Olatilewa, Chief Executive Officer of Ola Daviva International, a Nigerian textile manufacturing company specialising in customised Ankara fabrics, the growing reach of locally made textiles is evidence that Nigerian businesses can compete in regional markets.
Olatilewa, who has spent more than two decades in the textile business, said the ability of Nigerian manufacturers to produce customised fabrics for customers across different African markets presents an opportunity for the country to strengthen its manufacturing base, create jobs and earn foreign exchange.
According to him, the demand for customised Ankara fabrics goes beyond Nigeria, with customers in other African countries seeking fabrics designed for political campaigns, traditional ceremonies, religious gatherings, anniversaries and other special occasions.
The development is significant for an economy that has long depended heavily on crude oil exports for foreign exchange earnings. Expanding the market for locally manufactured products could help Nigeria diversify its sources of income while creating more opportunities for businesses and workers.
Recent economic figures also point to growth in some areas of the economy. Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 4.23 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025. The manufacturing sector had earlier recorded real growth of 3.29 per cent in the first quarter of 2026. These figures indicate an expanding economy and improving manufacturing output, although they do not, on their own, establish how much of that growth is attributable to the textile industry.
The Federal Government has also announced renewed efforts to revive the cotton, textile and garment value chain. In May 2026, the government disclosed that a pilot programme had produced 10,000 made-in-Nigeria T-shirts within six to seven months, as part of efforts to reduce dependence on imported textile products and promote domestic production.
For manufacturers such as Ola Daviva International, the wider question is whether these developments can translate into a more supportive environment for businesses that produce goods locally and sell them within Nigeria and across Africa.
Olatilewa’s experience points to the potential of specialised textile manufacturing, particularly in a market where customers increasingly seek unique designs that reflect their organisations, communities, identities and cultural traditions.
Customised Ankara production also creates business opportunities beyond the factory floor. Artists, graphic designers, textile handlers, distributors, transport operators and retailers can all benefit from increased production and sales.
However, industry operators still face challenges, including the cost of production, access to affordable finance, energy expenses, the availability of quality raw materials and competition from imported fabrics. Addressing these issues will be essential if local manufacturers are to increase their output, employ more workers and compete effectively in regional and international markets.
The textile industry also presents an opportunity to connect manufacturing with Nigeria’s cultural identity. Ankara fabrics are widely used for weddings, festivals, political events, religious programmes and other occasions across West Africa. Producing these fabrics locally and selling them abroad allows Nigerian businesses to turn cultural demand into commercial activity.
For the Tinubu administration, the challenge is to ensure that broader economic growth is reflected in the everyday experience of manufacturers, including more predictable production costs, better access to credit, reliable electricity and policies that encourage local production.
While the export experience of an individual company cannot by itself establish the overall performance of the Nigerian economy, it offers a practical example of how local businesses can contribute to economic diversification.
The bigger opportunity lies in building an environment where more Nigerian manufacturers can follow the same path: produce competitively at home, create employment and take made-in-Nigeria products to markets across Africa and beyond.