Nigeria: Shettima, Six Govs Depart Abuja for Benin

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a This Day report from Abuja, said Vice-President Kashim Shettima left Nigeria’s capital on 24 July 2026 for a working visit to the Republic of Benin. According to a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, media assistant to the vice-president, Shettima travelled with six governors: Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina and Umar Namadi of Jigawa.

The delegation is expected to visit the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone near Cotonou, where Nigerian officials will meet Beninese government representatives, investors and private-sector operators involved in the industrial hub. The report said the trip is intended to support Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme by studying Benin’s model for adding value to agricultural products, building industrial infrastructure, attracting investment, developing skills and promoting export-focused production.

A key focus will be the GDIZ textile park, which the report described as covering cotton spinning, weaving, fabric treatment and garment production within one system. The zone spans about 1,640 hectares and is structured to connect raw agricultural supply with processing and finished exports.

This Day framed the visit against Nigeria’s efforts to revive its textile sector after years of factory shutdowns, limited local processing and pressure from imported clothing and fabrics. Citing National Bureau of Statistics figures, the report said Nigeria’s textile, apparel and footwear industry was worth about ₦8.15 trillion at current prices in 2024 and produced ₦2.45 trillion in nominal output in the first quarter of 2025. The visit is also linked to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and to African Development Bank-supported plans for a garment-training centre under Nigeria’s SAPZ programme in Ogun State.