China's apparel exports to Nigeria drop 35%, fabric 8% in 2024

China’s textile exports to Nigeria, including fabric, were significantly higher than its apparel shipments. However, the decline in apparel exports was steeper than that of fabric. Nigeria is emerging as a garment manufacturing hub in Africa but still imports apparel from China.

China’s apparel exports to Nigeria dropped 35.86 per cent to $837.682 million in 2024—the first time in recent years that shipments fell below $1,000 million. Apparel exports stood at $1,305.210 million in 2023. The downward trend has been consistent since 2021, when shipments were valued at $1,742.178 million, declining to $1,383.570 million in 2022 and further to $1,305.210 million in 2023, according to Fibre2Fashion’s market insight tool TexPro.

In 2024, trousers and shorts were the dominant items in the apparel export basket from China to Nigeria, accounting for 22.90 per cent of total exports. Jackets and blazers made up 19.22 per cent, dresses 8.67 per cent, T-shirts 8.35 per cent, and ensembles 7.64 per cent. Other top exported garments included skirts, innerwear, accessories, jerseys, and socks.

China exported $3,088.914 million worth of fabric to Nigeria in 2021. This figure consistently declined over the following years—to $2,701.428 million in 2022 and $2,308.733 million in 2023—before falling a further 7.97 per cent to $2,124.592 million in 2024.

Fabric exports accounted for over 97 per cent of China’s total textile exports to Nigeria. In 2024, textile exports were valued at $2,185.193 million, with fabric making up 97.23 per cent of the total. Textile exports stood at $3,159.934 million in 2021, $2,776.637 million in 2022, and $2,365.794 million in 2023, according to TexPro.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)