Shettima Unveils Kwara Factory, 4,000 Jobs

In a significant boost to Nigeria’s local manufacturing and industrialization drive, Vice President Kashim Shettima has officially commissioned the Kwara Garment Factory in Ilorin. The state-of-the-art facility, designed for multi-shift production, is projected to create at least 4,000 direct jobs once it reaches full operational capacity, marking a major milestone in the economic revitalization of the North Central region.

The commissioning ceremony, held on Wednesday, was a highlight of the Vice President’s strategic visit to Kwara State. It coincided with the historic turbaning of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the first Sardauna of Ilorin by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari. The dual events underscored a strong synergy between traditional institutions, state governance, and federal support for grassroots economic development.

According to a statement by the Vice President’s media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the garment factory represents a critical step toward reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported textiles while directly addressing the pervasive challenge of youth unemployment. The facility is already demonstrating tangible progress, with over 500 workers successfully recruited and rigorously trained for its initial operations. As production scales up, the factory is expected to stimulate ancillary businesses, including logistics, packaging, and raw material supply, thereby creating a robust local value chain.

During the commissioning, Vice President Shettima lauded Governor AbdulRazaq’s administration for its strategic investments in education, healthcare, and road infrastructure. He emphasized that these foundational improvements are prerequisites for attracting and sustaining large-scale industrial projects. 

“These are chapters in the story of a state as its people encounter it: the lesson a child can attend, the treatment a household can seek, and the market a farmer can reach,” Shettima remarked, urging the state government to maintain its current trajectory of inclusive and sustainable development programmes.

Additionally, the Vice President inaugurated the 11-storey Kwara Revenue Service House. This modern edifice will serve as the administrative headquarters for the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS). The new facility is expected to significantly enhance the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) by providing a centralized, technologically advanced environment for tax administration, thereby improving operational efficiency, transparency, and taxpayer compliance.

The convergence of these two projects—a job-creating manufacturing hub and a modernized revenue collection center—paints a comprehensive picture of Kwara State’s ambition to achieve financial autonomy. By boosting local production and simultaneously strengthening revenue generation mechanisms, the state is laying a durable foundation for long-term fiscal stability.

The landmark events attracted a high-profile array of dignitaries, reflecting the national significance of Kwara’s developmental strides. Attendees included the First Lady’s representative and wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole; and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN. 

Traditional rulers also graced the occasion, notably the Emir of Zazzau, Nuhu Bamalli, and the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, Orumogege III. Furthermore, the event served as a gathering of regional leadership, with Governors from Imo, Kebbi, Plateau, Ekiti, Ogun, Niger, Bayelsa, and Kaduna states in attendance to witness the historic commissioning and turbaning ceremonies.

As the Kwara Garment Factory transitions from its initial operational phase to full capacity, it stands as a testament to the viability of targeted, state-level industrial policies. For the 500 workers already on the payroll, and the thousands more expected to join, the facility is not just a factory; it is a beacon of hope and a practical realization of economic empowerment in the heart of Nigeria.