‘Growth in fashion industry will reduce unemployment’

 

 Mr Tony Okoroji, Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has said that the fashion industry if properly developed, will attract more youths, thereby reducing the high rate of unemployment.


Okoroji said on Wednesday in Abuja that the Nigerian fashion was largely practiced on small scale which stalled its growth and discouraged youth participation.

“Fashion in Nigeria is practiced on a small scale because individuals invest the little money they have to make clothes and sell.

“The industry needs funding to enable better productivity which will also attract local and international investments,’’ he said.

According to the chairman, the industry is being faced by issues of statistics and building appropriate models.

He said that there was also the need to also address issues of intellectual property.

Okoroji said the high level of creativity and talents in the Nigerian fashion industry made it a partaker in the world of fashion.

He noted that a lot of changes had occurred in the industry in recent times as local fabrics were being used to create and imitate foreign wears.

According to Okoroji, fashion in Nigeria has gone a notch higher as these fabrics are not only used to make clothes but also bags, jewelries and shoes.

This he said had given the industry an advantage over other foreign fashion industries.

Okoroji urged operators in the industry to invest more funds in the sector to enable it grow and achieve feasible development.