Fashion and textile experts on Friday said Nigeria could strengthen its tourism economy by embracing traditional fabrics, investing in local artisans, and boosting production.
They spoke at a Lagos symposium organised by Wear Nigeria, with the theme ‘The Role of Traditional Textiles in Sustaining the Tourism Industry.’
Prof. Pamela Cyril-Egware of the University of Port Harcourt warned that traditional textiles were losing value as older custodians of the craft faded away.
She said schools should adopt traditional textiles to preserve heritage and build new talent in design and craftsmanship.
“By teaching students these skills, Nigeria will be investing in the next generation of artisans and fashion enthusiasts.
“This offers strong opportunities for cultural preservation, design education, and sustainable livelihoods,” she said.
She said the approach would “cushion the fact that our older generation are leaving”.
Mrs Rebecca Obaitan, wife of a traditional ruler in Ososo, Edo, said Nigeria already received textile tourists but had failed to harness the opportunity.
“In a world of artificial intelligence and mass production, humans crave cultural connection and authenticity,” she said.
She said storytelling around fabrics created emotion and action, which “is exactly what you need for tourism”.
Obaitan urged Nigerians to recognise the economic value in showcasing indigenous textiles and building a tourism chain around them.
She said communities must take the first steps, adding that government support would follow once progress and profit became visible.
The Wear Nigeria convener, Mr Austin Aimankhu, said scaling local textiles required technology, funding, and expanded production.
“People wear it already. There is demand for it; so, we have to scale it.
“We have to introduce technology, introduce funding, and increase printing and weaving to compete globally,” he added