Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has announced plans to extend diaspora sensitization and advocacy programs to all three senatorial districts in the state. The move aims to create awareness, enhance coordination, and maximize the impact of diaspora contributions to local development.
Speaking at the 4th Zonal Sensitization and Advocacy Program for Promoting Diaspora Investment Potentials in Northwest Nigeria, held in Kano, Governor Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Special Services, Major General Idris Inuwa (Rtd.), commended the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) for its nationwide advocacy efforts.
The event, themed “Unlocking the Potentials for Diaspora Investment in Northwest Nigeria: Opportunities, Advocacy Strategies, Enabling Policies, and Challenges,” focused on leveraging diaspora resources to boost economic growth. The governor reaffirmed Kano’s commitment to engaging its diaspora, highlighting the state’s vast potential in agriculture, mineral resources, and human capital development.
He further revealed that his administration has created two diaspora portfolios and appointed officers to strengthen diaspora engagement for economic prosperity.
In her remarks, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, represented by the Commission’s Secretary, Engr. Dr. Sule Yakubu Bassi, emphasized the critical role of the diaspora in Nigeria’s economy. She noted that in the past five years, the diaspora community has remitted over $90 billion to Nigeria, contributing significantly to national development.
Dabiri-Erewa outlined the 3Es of diaspora engagement—Engage, Enable, and Empower—urging state governments in the Northwest to actively involve their diaspora communities, bridge the trust gap, and harness available opportunities.
Other speakers at the event included Dr. Abdulhameed Umar Danladi, Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor on Diaspora Matters, Hon. Aliyu Wakili, Special Adviser on Disaster Management, and Mr. Abubakar Usman, Special Adviser on Vocational Education and Labour Matters.
Participants included Kano State government officials, members of the Foreign Students Association, Associations of Scholars in Kano State, students from Bayero University, Aliko Dangote University, School of Nursing, and School of Hygiene, as well as representatives from the Kano State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (KACCIMA) and the private sector.
The sensitization program in Kano marked the fourth in the series of NiDCOM’s zonal diaspora advocacy campaigns, following similar engagements in Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), and Bauchi (North East).
