Key points
- Nanotechnology has the capacity to transform Nigeria’s textile industry by producing advanced technical fabrics for defence, healthcare, and industrial applications.
- Implementing nano-based fertilizers, pesticides, and climate-resilient varieties can help revive domestic cotton farming and improve agricultural productivity.
- Infusing antimicrobial nanomaterials into fabrics can create self-disinfecting textiles suitable for hospital beddings, laboratory coats, and aprons.
- Graphene-enhanced nanotextiles can create stronger, lightweight, and less bulky fabrics suitable for military bulletproof protective wear.
- Expert researchers are advocating for clear policies, funding, and collaboration to move these laboratory innovations into the commercial market.
Main Story
Prof. Lateef Agbaje, a nanotechnology expert, has said that nanotechnology could transform Nigeria’s textile industry through the development of advanced technical fabrics for healthcare, defence and industrial applications.
Agbaje, who is Head of the NANO+ Group at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, stated this on Tuesday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He said Nigeria still imports more than 60 percent of its clothing despite its strong history in cotton production, describing the situation as unfortunate.
According to him, nanotechnology could help revive cotton farming through the development of climate-resilient cotton varieties, as well as nano-based fertilisers and pesticides to improve productivity.
He explained that nanotechnology could also enhance textile performance by producing fabrics that are waterproof, fire-resistant, lightweight and self-cleaning.
He noted that some nano-treated fabrics are hydrophobic and capable of repelling water, while others possess improved thermal stability that makes them resistant to fire.
Agbaje said fabrics infused with nanomaterials were found to be lighter without losing strength, improving both comfort and durability.
He added that nano-textiles could also block harmful ultraviolet radiation, making them useful for military and paramilitary uniforms exposed to prolonged sunlight.
The professor also said studies involving graphene-enhanced textiles showed stronger materials that could be adapted for lightweight protective and bulletproof applications.
He further stated that nano-textiles could improve camouflage, dust resistance and waterproofing for military and industrial uses.
Agbaje urged the Federal Government to develop clear policies and provide adequate funding to support nanotechnology research and its commercialisation.
He also called for stronger collaboration between researchers, government and the private sector to ensure innovations move from laboratories to the market.
The Issues
- Overcoming Nigeria’s heavy reliance on garment imports, which currently exceed 60 per cent of locally used clothing despite a rich history of cotton production.
- Securing targeted federal funding and comprehensive national policies to support advanced nanotechnology research and commercialization.
- Bridging the gap between academic laboratories and commercial marketplaces through structured collaboration among researchers, government, and private enterprises.
What’s Being Said
- Outlining the potential socioeconomic advantages of restoring the domestic manufacturing sector through advanced technological means, Prof. Lateef Agbaje stated: “The textile industry once employed millions of Nigerians. Reviving it through nanotechnology will create jobs, stimulate economic growth and improve social stability,”
- Explaining how the functional concepts of self-killing potential protect users from bacterial exposure, Agbaje noted: “We thought of infusing nanoparticles into fabrics in such a way that even when they are exposed to germs, the textile itself will have self-killing potential.”
- Enumerating the daily hospital equipment and personal apparel that would benefit from localized antimicrobial integration, he said: “Such fabrics can be used for hospital bedding’s, lab coats, aprons, socks.”
- Detailing how microbial growth interacts with sweat to produce odor, and how nanomaterials counteract this cycle over time, he observed: “You know, when you wear your socks over time, you have this foul odour because microorganisms are able to grow, when there is a presence of sweat, in the form of moisture. If there is the presence of these nano materials, they will kill the organisms and one can wear it for an extended period of time because it is an antimicrobial textile,”
- Describing the design possibility of using graphene-enhanced material to replace heavy, cumbersome security equipment, he told NAN: “You can have a bulletproof vest that is not bulky. It can look like an ordinary vest while still offering protection,”
What’s Next
- Research groups like the NANO+ Group will continue laboratory testing on hydrophobic, fire-resistant, and ultraviolet-blocking nanotextiles.
- Stakeholders will seek to establish deeper partnerships between the private sector and researchers to move advanced fabric concepts to the open market.
- Advocacy efforts will continue toward prompting the Federal Government to outline protective policies and financing mechanisms for domestic nanotechnology.
Bottom Line
To address a manufacturing decline that leaves Nigeria importing over 60 per cent of its clothing, nanotechnology experts are calling for federal funding and cross-sector collaboration to integrate advanced, self-disinfecting, and bulletproof nanomaterials into local fabrics while utilizing nano-pesticides to revitalize domestic cotton farming.
