Africa must connect cotton production with spinning, fabric manufacturing and garment production to retain more value locally and build a stronger textile industry, according to Teboho Kobeli, founder and Managing Director of Lesotho-based Afri-Expo Textiles.
Speaking to New African, Kobeli said fragmented supply chains prevent manufacturers from developing integrated operations, leaving garment factories dependent on imported fabrics despite Africa’s cotton-growing capabilities.
“African countries and cotton producers currently operate in fragmented silos without centralised coordination,” he said. “We have to stop working in silos.”
Moving Beyond Cut, Make and Trim
Kobeli argued that African textile industries need to expand beyond cut, make and trim operations into activities including raw material processing, fabric development, design, merchandising and finished-product supply.
His company, based in Maseru, imports much of its textile material from China and other Asian countries. He highlighted the missed opportunity when African cotton is exported for processing while manufacturers on the continent purchase fabric from overseas.
“I am tired of importing from China. We want to do A to Z, but right now we are doing what we can,” he said.
Kobeli established Afri-Expo Textiles after observing China’s manufacturing ecosystems in the mid-2000s. He believed a coordinated approach to factories, suppliers and export services could also support industrial development in Lesotho.
Read more: African Cotton Producers Shift Strategy Toward Industrialization at WTO Summit in Yaoundé
Lesotho’s Experience Highlights Export Dependence
Textiles and apparel are central to Lesotho’s manufacturing economy. The country has benefited from access to the US market through the African Growth and Opportunity Act, with apparel exports to the United States reaching approximately $237.3 million in 2024, according to the figures cited in the interview.
However, pandemic-related disruption and subsequent uncertainty over US trade policy exposed the vulnerability of an industry reliant on a limited number of export markets.
Kobeli said garment assembly creates employment but leaves many higher-value functions outside the country. He called for investment that develops local capabilities and establishes a more durable manufacturing base.
Financing and Incentives for African-Owned Manufacturers
Kobeli urged governments to provide stronger support for domestic entrepreneurs alongside incentives offered to foreign investors.
He identified trade finance, machinery investment and access to raw materials as priorities for African-owned textile businesses seeking to expand.
In his view, local ownership and long-term investment can help strengthen industrial resilience when external shocks affect international investors’ decisions.
Read more: Shared Utilities Help African Textile Hubs Expand Cotton Processing
Regional Markets Offer a Starting Point
Kobeli also advocated serving African demand as part of a broader market-diversification strategy.
Lesotho’s efforts to increase sales to neighbouring South Africa and explore other continental markets could help manufacturers reduce dependence on a single overseas destination.
“We can produce for ourselves first,” he said. “The opportunity is already there for Africans to take care of their own people.”
For Kobeli, the next stage of development depends on linking cotton growers, processors, textile mills and garment manufacturers through coordinated investment. Such connections would enable African producers to capture more of the value generated between raw cotton and finished clothing.
