Lagos, – The Federal Government should support the Nigerian fashion industry so that it could boost the nation`s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and produce employment opportunities for jobless youths.
Mrs Temilola Akintayo, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), De-image Creation and Fashion School, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.
Akintayo said that if the sector were well funded by the Federal Government, it could compete with other sectors of the economy such as the oil and gas, agriculture, health and maritime.
According to her, the industry is capable of creating employment opportunities for millions of Nigerian youths if well funded for it to develop.
“There are several opportunities in the industry that can lessen the burden on government regarding unemployment, poverty but generate wealth creation,’’ Akintayo said.
She said that if the industry was given the right support, it would not only produce jobs and boost the nation`s revenue, it would also be a foreign exchange earner.
“When you talk of dresses, textiles and garments, you are talking about creating jobs for a lot of people like tailors, fashion designers, models and hair stylists.
“The chain is very long and in some other climes, the garment and textile industry is the third largest employer of labour,’’ the chief executive officer said.
Akintayo urged the government to provide concrete financial support to the industry to enable it grow.
She said most stakeholders in the fashion industry were yet to enjoy incentives from the government.
According to her, some big stakeholders in the industry may be enjoying some forms of incentives from the government due to their personal influences.
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However, the small and medium stakeholders were yet to benefit from government, she said.
Akintayo said that the industry was made up of the small and medium stakeholders.
“If we do not get financial support from government, we may not be able to grow and the industry will not be able to compete favourably with its foreign counterparts.
“The only way that the country can compete in the global fashion industry is when we present to the international community those things that are made in Nigeria, “ she said.
The chief executive said she had trained over 400 fashion designers from her school in the last five years, adding that all her trainees were doing well in the global market.
She said that her students had acquired trainings on how to make trendy designs from adire, aso-oke and a lot of other local fabrics.
Akintayo urged Nigerians to patronise made-in-Nigeria fabrics and design as it would boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). (NAN)