The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, said that Federal Government is taking concrete steps toward actualising the Diaspora Voting Bill, which seek to give Nigerians living abroad the constitutional right to vote in national elections.
Abbas made this known on Monday at the Nigerian Stakeholders Engagement on Diaspora Governance (NiSEDiG 2025) and the official launch of the Nigerians in Diaspora Response (NiDRes) Application and Website. The event was organised by the House Committee on Diaspora Affairs in collaboration with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
Speaking through Hon. Patrick Umoh, who represented him, the Speaker described the initiative as “a major step towards extending democratic participation to all citizens and ensuring that every Nigerian voice is heard in the process of nation-building.”
He noted that the 10th House of Representatives considers diaspora engagement a national priority aligned with its legislative agenda of inclusion, accountability, and economic reforms.
Chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Tochukwu Chinedu Okere, said the NiSEDiG 2025 initiative was designed to provide a unified policy framework that integrates legislation, institutions, and technology to improve diaspora governance.
Okere explained that the newly launched NiDRes App and Website would simplify how Nigerians abroad access government services and interact with diplomatic missions worldwide.
In her keynote address, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, highlighted the progress made in Nigeria’s diaspora engagement over the past six years, noting that the relationship between the country and its diaspora community has produced “groundbreaking strides in health, education, agriculture, ICT, transportation, and volunteerism.”
Dabiri-Erewa said the Commission has consolidated several key programmes, including the National Diaspora Day (July 25), the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS), and the National Diaspora Merit Award, among others.
She recalled that the National Diaspora Policy, approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2021, provides the framework for diaspora participation in national development, while the Diaspora Data Mapping Portal, launched in June 2021, supports effective policy planning through reliable data.
The NiDCOM boss also noted that diaspora remittances remain Nigeria’s largest source of foreign exchange, amounting to $23.81 billion in 2019, representing about six percent of the country’s GDP.
Dabiri-Erewa, however, identified challenges such as inadequate funding, limited office accommodation, and the need to amend the NiDCOM Act to ensure sustainable financing from diaspora remittance channels.
The event, held in Abuja, brought together representatives from Nigerians in Diaspora Organisations (NIDO), the Nigerian Immigration Service, MDAs, academia, youth groups, and state diaspora focal officers.
