The textiles and garment sector in Tigray is struggling to resume operations after suffering large-scale damage during the armed conflict. Tigray, the northernmost regional state in Ethiopia, lost industrial capacity, machinery, and much of its skilled workforce. Employers are now taking recourse to in-house training due to acute labour shortages, according to a new study. Long-term recovery will depend on coordinated training reform and stronger links between technical institutions and factory needs.
- Only 670 of manufacturer Almeda’s original 1,600 garment machines are functional, limiting the plant’s ability to operate at full production capacity.
- Stocks of raw materials and finished goods were entirely destroyed or looted, causing a complete halt in planned six-month production cycles.
- Revenue dropped from 70 million to 5.5 million birr per month, reflecting severe disruptions in output, sales, and access to international markets.
- Staffing levels dropped from 5,300 to 1,800 people, leading to a reliance on internal reskilling to bridge skill and productivity gaps.
- The findings are from a recent study by Gebretsadik Gebru Wubet, Alemseged Gerezgiher Hailu, and Kinfe Abraha Gebre-Egziabher—all affiliated with Mekelle University in Ethiopia, examining post-war industrial recovery in Tigray’s textiles and garment sector.
THE STUDY: The study investigated how vocational skills development contributes to rebuilding the textiles and garment sector in post-war Tigray. Drawing on grounded theory and qualitative data, the authors developed a Theory of Change to guide policy actors in designing recovery frameworks that integrate industrial resumption with workforce development strategies.
- Researchers employed a qualitative case study methodology based on 21 interviews conducted between July and August 2023.
- Four factories located in different parts of Tigray were selected to capture varied post-war recovery conditions.
- Participants included operations managers, HR heads, department supervisors, and technical staff with direct experience of war-related disruptions.
WHAT’S AT STAKE: The stakes are high for Tigray’s textiles economy, which once played a significant role in national manufacturing. Without quick investment in skills and infrastructure, firms may fail to regain output or attract investors. The region risks long-term deindustrialisation unless practical vocational training is tied to structural repair and policy incentives that stabilise the fragile post-conflict recovery landscape.
- The war destroyed over 60 large factories and thousands of SMEs, severely weakening the region’s industrial and commercial ecosystem.
- Employers cite a critical shortage of trained workers as the most pressing barrier to resuming large-scale textile and garment production.
- Companies lost long-standing relationships with foreign buyers after operations and supply chains were suspended indefinitely during the conflict.
- Firms face compounded challenges: broken infrastructure, financing gaps, and wage arrears that threaten long-term viability.
WHAT THE DATA SHOWS: The study quantifies the war’s economic toll on Tigray’s textile sector through firsthand evidence from major firms. The figures reveal devastating losses of assets, workforce, and infrastructure.
- Almeda lost over 300 million birr worth of garments and materials, including inventory belonging to international clients awaiting shipment.
- Of 51 transport vehicles owned by Almeda, only one vehicle remains functional; all others were either looted or destroyed during the conflict.
- Factories had to suspend regular shipments to overseas destinations such as the United States due to broken supply links and logistics failures.
- Only two of the four firms interviewed have restarted partial production, with the rest inactive or cut off from essential service access.
- Replacement parts, specialist tools, and maintenance supplies are lacking, preventing timely restoration of key machinery and production lines.
WHERE THINGS STAND: Recovery progress varies sharply by location and firm. While some companies have restarted basic operations, they face serious training bottlenecks. Skilled employees have left, TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) curricula do not align with garment industry needs, and firms are forced to implement in-house reskilling. Without strategic reform in vocational training delivery, these stopgap solutions may fail to sustain industrial revival over the long term.
- Manufacturer MAA lost 55% of its trained workforce, most of whom had over a decade of experience in key textile and garment operations.
- Internal training is now used to reskill untrained hires, adding costs and slowing productivity compared to pre-war skill baselines.
- TVETs in the region currently focus on general trades such as metalwork, without specific focus on garment or textile manufacturing skills.
- HR teams request curriculum reform to introduce modules in ring spinning, knitting, and garment machinery operation for new workers.
- In-employment training is financially burdensome, especially for firms without access to post-conflict support or wage subsidies.
READING BETWEEN THE LINES: Though framed cautiously, the study strongly suggests that vocational training alone will not deliver industrial recovery. Interviews show that post-war rebuilding also depends on political stability, financing, and institutional coordination. The findings point to a broader recovery ecosystem, where reskilling must be paired with infrastructure, market access, and operational support if factories are to survive — and eventually scale — in a volatile and resource-depleted environment.
- Informants repeatedly emphasise the need for regional peace and stability to attract investment and secure consistent industrial operations.
- Delayed wages and lack of capital support are forcing firms to limit hiring and defer key maintenance and equipment upgrades.
- Industrial managers say they need formalised government frameworks to guide post-conflict sector rebuilding and policy alignment.
- TVET–industry collaboration remains unstructured and irregular, making workforce matching slow and frequently inefficient for firms.
- Reskilling must be embedded in larger national programmes that also support transport, credit, and logistics to sustain recovery.
WHAT THEY SAID:
Due to the war, our company not only ceased production but also experienced partial or complete destruction of properties, including buildings, installed machinery, infrastructures, spare parts, finished goods, and raw materials in stock, like cotton, polyester, and yarn that was planned to be sufficient for 6 months of production. The finished goods and raw materials in the stock were 100% burnt and looted.
— Informant 1
Operations Manager
Almeda Textile Plc
One of the biggest challenges we face is the loss of skilled employees. 55% of our skilled employees left due to the war. All of them had worked with us for more than 10 years and were highly skilled. Unfortunately, we lost this manpower, and we are now forced to hire less skilled employees, which demands extra costs for in–employment training.
— Informant 2
HR Manager
MAA Garment
