

































 

Sustainable Economic Development: 
A Survey of Textile Merchandizing Advertizing 

in Akure City Markets 
 

Olujoke Stella AKINRUJOMU (Ph.D) 
Department of Entrepreneurial Arts, School of Vocational and Entrepreneurial Studies, 

Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science 
and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.  

Phone No: +2348037208162 
 

Abstract 

Bearing in mind that sustainable economic development will help the growth of a nation, a 

survey of textile merchandizing activities in Akure markets is chosen as one of the tools to 

drive the wheels of progress in this direction. Therefore, the paper seeks to highlight the 

importance of these markets to the economic growth of Akure and environments with a view 

to sensitize and sustain their purchasing power in using meager available resources to buy 

good quality fabrics. The sources and destinations of these fabric goods and other relevant 

but related structures in textile marketing and advertising are discussed in the paper. 

Keywords: sustainable economy, textile, merchandizing, advertizing. 

 

Introduction 

The use of textile materials as body covering and as utilitarian materials cannot be 

disputed through the ages. Attempts to define textiles will be repetitions of previous works of 

scholars who had written extensively on the subject. Although the early popularity of 

varieties of textile material (fabrics and garments) was noted to have served as trade values 

for cloth sellers, who chose to serve either as wholesalers or retailers, consumers also find 

solace on the trade partnership that existed between manufacturers ad representatives (Ojo, 

2003). 

Textile merchandizing and advertising is a relatively new area of study. In a real 

Sense, merchandizing involves buying and selling of goods by individuals or marketing 

companies, while advertising draws the attention to goods for sale or services to offer. 

Advertising is encouraged through newspaper advertisements, bill boards, shops, kiosks, 

complex malls, roadside stores, market stalls and mobile shops. 

The paper seeks to reveal some merchandizing and advertising strategies of textile 

Materials with a view to create awareness for consumers on their market values, location, 

types and styles. This is intended to promote patronage and entrepreneurial engagements. It is 

believed that the informed consumer with the basic knowledge of textile products is skillful 

shopper who can also judge values and quality of fabrics in order to conserve money. 

Fabrics that are available and affordable are not easily located in cities where many 

textile markets exist. This peculiarity alone is sufficient reason to make survey of this type as 

Akure city is a non-fabric production center. As a non-production city, the area of production 

to points of sales is one of the reasons for profiteering. The absence of textile warehouses in 

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Akure as a state capital town also promoted over pricing of goods, since many manufacturers 

in Lagos and other producing states had played down on the activities of major marketers. 

(Ojo & Akinrujomu, 2007).   

In the late 1970s, major fabric marketers who served as wholesalers to textile 

industries were issued permit cards (license) to distribute and redistribute within sub-

wholesalers and retailers in major cities of Nigeria. Such manufacturer's representatives were 

the G. B. Ollivant and the Leventis stores who operated under the United African Company 

(UAC). Major distribution centres were Gbagi market in Ibadan, “Gota" Balogun market in 

Lagos, Benin market in Edo State and Kano Central markets (Ojo & Akinrujomu, 2007). The 

lack of these major distribution and re-distribution Organizations has encouraged inefficiency 

in the marketing network of fabric merchandizing in Akure and other cities. This study thus 

becomes relevant. 

 

Some Issues on Textile Merchandising  

Textiles serve the social and cultural needs of the people as they are often referred to 

as second human basic need next to agriculture (Diogu, 2000 and Onyekezini, 2004). 

However, it is logical to aggregate the importance of the merchandizing of textile goods to 

the profile of the people of Akure as part of the mainstay of their economic activities. 

On the other hand, concerns about the impact and development of full textile markets 

in Akure city was necessitated by the machine textile industries which had multiplied 

production of fabrics in thousands consumption. The seeming competitive markets and the 

development of garment styles in vogue are some important factors in the buying and selling 

business. 

Textile merchandising is a dynamic social and economic activity in Nigeria. In many 

cities of Nigeria, government procedures for quality control of fabrics, environmental impact 

assessment tax and registrations of market stalls and shops are making the prospects of textile 

marketing a "no-go" area for businessmen and women. Musa (1994) Ming (1993) and 

Bamgbola (2009) presented a gory picture of a crippled textile market situation in Nigeria 

and concluded that political and economic uncertainties have hampered textile merchandising. 

Added to this is the penetrable nature of guild of cloth sellers which makes fabric sales a 

"Tom-and-Dick affair. Textile consumer's interest is a major strategy in buying and selling of 

fabrics. Mbedi (2010) opines that the patronage pattern of African printed fabrics (Ankara) is 

dictated by its cheaper and varied yards for local and international attractive motifs which are 

commonly found in our markets. The Nigerian markets here unchecked influx of the milled 

textile products. At the same time, the Nigeria borders are porous to illegitimate trades in 

textile business. The "Okrika" or "Bosikona" types of clothing that are sold in our markets are 

examples of this. 

Although the sales of illegitimate foreign fabrics are noticeable in Akure markets like 

all other town and village markets across Nigeria, it has traders who do not have money for 

Nigerian textile factory fabric bulk purchases. Nevertheless the machine textile industry 

provides most of the products displayed on Akure market stalls (Akinrujomu, 2002).  

 

Organs of Textile Merchandizing and Advertising 

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Textile merchandizing has been described as a business revolving around and turning 

around for the benefit of end-users (Kriger, 1993). Kriger (1993) also notes that 

merchandizing involves various process of planning and executing the concept of price, 

promotion and distributing ideas, goods and services for a satisfactory exchange between the 

consumer and the seller.  

In the same vein, textile advertising promoted the business initiated by the 

merchandiser, enlightenment and promotion of goods to a large mass of audience. Fabric 

retailing is a major activity in Akure and other Nigerian markets. As an organ of 

merchandizing it involves display and presentation of goods in markets. Unlike what obtains 

in advanced countries, retailing of fabrics is done through specialty stores and mail order 

houses where pamphlets and catalogues of textile items are produced and sent to customers 

every manufacturing season. In recent times, the internet is another faster source of retailing 

and advertising of fabrics. 

 

Textile Merchandizing in Akure Markets  

There are no noticeable special markets for textile products in Akure city, but fabrics 

are sold in all the markets dotting the geographical areas in the city. 

As a non-fabric producing town, the circulation of textile goods is dependent on 

traders who purchased fabrics from Lagos, Onitsha and Ibadan general markets. Specifically, 

textile industries in Lagos State are generally patronized for bulk purchases of fabrics by 

Akure cloth traders. 

Below is a list of some sources of fabric goods in Lagos and other states: 

State      Name  of  Textile         Location           Year of                 Product                       

                                                                                                   Established 
LAGOS           The Nigeria textile             Oba Akran            1960            Plain fabric   

                          Mill Plc         Avenue, Ikeja             for Ankara yarns  

                                printing not involved         

               Bhojsons Industries         Ilupeju Industrial            1971                Lace, synthetic 

                           Plc                                               Estate                                                Fabrics, yarns 

                                                              (for textile mills) 

                          Emcast Works Ltd.  11, Ajumobi  1987             Screen printed 

                   Olorunoje    works. 

                    Crescent, off 

     Acme Road, 

     Agidingbi, Ikeja 

                             United Nigerian  Ibeshe Road,  1971  NCHEMTEX 

  Textiles Plc  Ikorodu.    Ankara 

  (NICHEMTEX)      African Wax 

             Lace Materials 

  Atlantic Textile  Ilupeju Industrial 1965  Ankara Fabrics 

  MFG Co. Ltd.  Estate 

  Woolen and   Ikeja     Wools Chiffons 

  Synthetic Textile 

  Manufacturing Ltd. 

  Afriprint Nigeria Oshodi Apapa  January  Afriprint Ankara 

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  Plc   Expressway  1985 

  Aswani Textile Mill Aswani, Isolo    Ankara Fabrics 

DELTA Asaba Textile Mill Asaba   1964  Super Print 

 

 

KADUNA United Nigerian  Plot ‘O’ Industrial May 1964 Veritable Unit 

  Textile Plc  Estate     Plc, Wax, Super 

          Print, Classic wax 

        Diamond wax, 

                                                                                                         Hollander wax 

 

OTHER 

COUNTRY  

Gahna  Akosombo Textile Volta Region,  1964  Ankara fabrics 

  Limited (ATL)  Akosombo    (African Print 

     Fabrics) 

Source: Authors fieldwork conducted for proposed Ph.D work (2011) 

 

Suffice it to say that Akure textile merchants serve as middlemen between companies 

and consumers; the duty of a wholesaler for a smaller city like Akure has been eroded. The 

flow of textile goods from markets in Idumota, Balogun, Oshodi, Aswani and Gota in Lagos: 

Gbagi, Kingsway road and Onitsha constitute major outlets for the manufacturing industries 

where Akure cloth traders do not have due access. 

 Traders in the above mentioned popular markets also constituted themselves as 

general wholesaler merchants who assist in the retailing processes. Akure fabric market 

traders are not exceptions. Fabric traders from all over Nigeria converge to do business at any 

point during the week. 

 As a profit making business, textile markets in Akure also enjoy seasonal sales. Some 

specific materials such as lace, organza, guinea brocade and others are patronized during 

Christmas, New year celebration and other notable joyful seasons. African Print Fabrics 

(Ankara) and other cheaper fabric stuffs are not left out as "Aso-ebi (a general uniform for 

identifying with a specific celebration among the family members). 

There are also fabrics made in hidden areas of the country which penetrate into The 

sales of imported textile materials receive special markets without control. Attention from 

selective buyers with big income earnings. Fabrics such as lace met are bought in small 

quantities by patrons. 

Fieldwork and market surveys reveal that sales of traditional fabrics are net prominent 

as a very minimal market stalls display fabrics like Adire, Aso-oke band woven cloths and 

other native materials. Factory made imported fabrics like chiffons satins, crepes, silks are 

exclusive preserves of special stores in Oja-oba market in Akure. Indeed, there are reports of 

low patronage of these fabrics. 

Many fabric sellers work as retailers and wholesalers thereby eroding the activities of 

middlemen in the sales process. Interactions with fabric sellers and sellers chairpersons reveal 

that distribution of fabrics in Akure are also encouraged by the co-operative and thrift system 

whereby registered members are given money on loan to activate fabric trading. 

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The display pattern of textile materials in Akure markets follows the methods in other 

Nigerian cities except that the Akure shops have now worn new looks Due to face- lifting of 

market stalls by the government of Ondo State. Earlier than now, fabric stalls were subjected 

to unkempt environment, where buyers and sellers often purchased fabric at the middle of the 

dual carriage roads along Oba Adesida. Other fabric sellers are also found displaying their 

goods on bare road-space available at the entrances of the markets. As a fabric-consumer city, 

Akure markets attract a larger patronage with varieties of bargaining antics. Such antics as 

discount pricing and payment on credit terms (which may be short or long term) open another 

discussions on the desperate nature of fabric buyers. 

As fabric consumers enjoy higher incomes, they have also become mole fashionable 

and bound to replace old fabric stuff with new ones. For example, Ankara fabrics life span is 

short, so a replacement from time to time is often desirable, so the Patronage pattern 

increases as replacements take place.  

 

Fabric Distribution Network  

Fabrics are bought directly as explained earlier in this paper from markets in 

Familiarity in business circles. It is not a new thing that minor/petty traders will have to 

neighboring states. Interactions with fabric sellers reveal that not every fabric seller in Akure 

could travel to buy goods for lack of finance. So the distribution network hinges on the 

financial capability of the retailer. Oftentimes, retailers of fabrics in Akure got fabrics from 

major shop owners on credit basis, resell for their own profits, and then return the cost price 

to the original owner. The arrangement is often based on trusts and lean on major distributors 

for their existence. 

By this arrangement fabric are distributed without hindrances. The unsuspecting 

customers purchase fabrics without the detail knowledge of these transactions. Well 

organized metropolitan markets, trusts are based on legality of the trade. For instance, 

retailers are registered with permit cards "license" to take credit from wholesalers who 

represent the manufacturers. 

Ojo & Akinrujomu (2007) reveal how wholesalers purchase larger quantity of fabrics 

from manufacturers or merchandizing stores little capital base. The absence of this legal 

pattern in Akure textile market distribution and re-distribution tend to abuse trusts and retard 

the flow of distribution networking. 

 

Location of Akure city market  

A market is a regular gathering place where delivery of goods, exchange offerings 

(buy and sell) and customer - sellers relationship foster (Easey, 1995). Market creates avenue 

for the promotion of economic activities among eager and anticipating customers. The 

sustainable economic development as regards buy and sell is dependent on its market points: 

In some towns and villages, market days are observed as special days of reaping the gains of 

labor. This perhaps explains the reason why the convergence of varieties of traders of wider 

range of goods becomes a recurrent affair in market places.  

The city of Akure is not an exemption in this regard. As a prominent state capital city 

of Ondo State located in South-Western Nigeria, many markets for commercial activities are 

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found in the nooks and crannies of the city. The main market Oja-Oba also nicknamed 

Erekesan is located at the centre of the city very close to the Oba's palace. 

The market was rebuilt by the Agagu administration with textile stores dominating the 

main entrance. The market houses different textile materials for sale to customers, and 

extended towards Arakale Road on the eastern side. The textile material section dominates 

the ultra modern market with the services of tailors, seamstresses and embroidery makers. 

also houses mostly imported textile materials with few local textiles on sale (Now the market 

is under renovation) NEPA market in Akure is classified as the most expensive and least 

patronized for clothing materials.  

Other lock up shops and open textile stalls that are found around "NEPA" market 

These special stores which enjoy minimum patronage. probably due to the renovation that has 

recently taken place. Special stalls are not available for Aso-Oke woven fabrics or to her 

traditional cloths in Akure market. Unlike in Ondo and Owo towns where special stalls are 

created for Ofi Ondo and other native stuffs, the markets in Akure are dominated but imported 

and machine made fabrics. Fieldwork conducted reveals that the importance of 

apprenticeship system in the trade of buy and sell of fabrics cannot be over-emphasized. 

Apprentices learn how merchandizing business goes from day-to-day, apparently graduating 

to start their own textile shops. This is a multiplying effect of textile merchandizing among 

Traders  in Akure city. Pricing and prices of Ankara fabrics in Akure markets fluctuate from 

time to time the table below shows a tentative price list of fabrics as at the time of the field 

 

TENTATIVE PRICES OF ANKARA FABRICS IN AKURE MARKETS 

TYPES OF ANKARA            QUANTITY OF FABRICS       RATE  

Elegance London Wax               Six yards           3000 

Hi-Target bloc                            Six yards    2500 

Hi-Target Ordinary                     Six yards    1500 

Veritable Hi track block Wax        Six yards    3500 

Java Gold Opulen   Six yards    800 

Ghana Wax (Printed Fabric)         Six yards          2, 5000 

Wooden Wax      Six yards          7000 

Nigeria Wax (Printed Fabric)      Six yards          2200 

Hollywood Wax Block                Six yards                  1000/1500 

 

Conclusion 

Market places act as valuers and "disposing" grounds for locally and imported textile 

materials. The distribution patterns and networking have become the concerns observers in 

academics. The paper focuses on Akure markets because of the absence of contemporary 

researches as regards merchandising in the area. 

As the textile markets expand, parking spaces and accessibility to market facilities 

and public transportation becomes very important. Only recently the state government created 

a mini parking space for motorists traders and buyers in Erekesan market for easy 

accessibility and shopping. Other renovated markets in Akure are also built with car-parking 

spaces. 

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The manufacturing textile industries should device a monitoring network for their 

products to reach points of sales as at when required. This will encourage small practices in 

the textile merchandising process are cogs in the trade. For example consumers complain of 

shortage in yards of fabrics sold to them after purchase. Some ripped-out holes are found in 

the folds of the fabrics which perhaps is partly a machine fault from the industry, or a wrong 

storage process by the retailer. The Standard Organization of Nigeria (S.O.N.) is expected to 

deploy monitoring team to reduce complaints of fabric consumers to Consumer Complaints 

Commission (CCC) if ever the organization exists.  

 

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Bamgbola O. T. (2009). Fashion Design theory in globalize world In Journal of Fashion and 

Marketing Management,  3(1), 413-414. 

Diogu, G. O. (2002): Patterns of Creative Growth in Contemporary Nigerian Textiles: A 

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Easey, M. (1995). Fashion Marketing. Oxford. Osney Mead Publishers. 

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