Nigeria, Dec. 11 -- The closure of textile companies around the country has reduced Nigeria's cotton production, making the crop almost extinct.

Cotton, sisal, jute, and hemp are among the essential plant-based raw materials for textiles. Approximately 51,000 metric tonnes of cotton are produced in Nigeria, compared to approximately 300,000 tonnes in the 1980s.

The closure of textile companies in Nigeria is blamed for the low cotton production; according to producers, the country no longer has a fully functional textile company.

"I have stopped cotton farming because there is no off-taker. We do not have textile companies again that would off-take what we harvest. The business has become unprofitable, said Mustapha Argungu, a farmer fr...