Technological Innovations in Nigerian Sericulture: A Pathway to Industry Revival and Environmental Sustainability

Abstract

Despite Nigeria’s rich history in sericulture, the sector remains underdeveloped due to outdated techniques, low technological adoption, and poor policy integration. This study investigates the extent to which modern silkworm rearing techniques and automated silk production equipment can revitalize Nigeria’s sericulture industry, enhancing both productivity and quality. Using secondary panel data from 60 sericulture programs between 2010 and 2024 (900 observations), the study applies multiple linear regression models with robust econometric diagnostics via EViews 12. Findings reveal that both technological innovations exert statistically significant and positive effects on silk production and quality. Specifically, modern rearing techniques, including controlled temperature, improved feeding regimes, and hygienic rearing environments, demonstrated the strongest influence, enhancing output by 3.94 index points per unit increase. Similarly, automation tools such as reeling, degumming, and drying machines improved outcomes by 2.67 points, validating their transformative impact on operational efficiency and product uniformity. Innovation funding, used as a control variable, also showed a meaningful positive contribution. Robustness checks confirmed the model’s reliability, indicating no serial correlation, heteroskedasticity, or structural instability. The study rejects both null hypotheses, affirming that technological innovation is central to Nigeria’s sericulture revival. It concludes that structured rearing protocols and mechanized processing are not merely modern luxuries but essential tools for global competitiveness and environmental sustainability. Based on these insights, the study recommends upscaling farmer training and subsidizing access to automation equipment through public-private partnerships. These steps are vital to reposition Nigerian sericulture as a viable, sustainable agro-industrial sector in the modern textile economy