President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s healthcare system by harnessing the expertise of over 50,000 Nigerian doctors and thousands of nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals living abroad through the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (DHII).
The President made the commitment at the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebration held on Friday at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with the theme: “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development.”
The event was declared open by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who represented President Tinubu.
In his address, the President described Nigerians in the diaspora as one of the nation’s greatest assets, saying they have continued to distinguish themselves globally while remaining committed to the country’s development.
He said the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative, coordinated by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, would be institutionalised to deepen diaspora contributions to Nigeria’s health sector.
Tinubu said the Federal Government would expand diaspora medical missions, strengthen partnerships between Nigerian universities and diaspora professionals, promote telemedicine, encourage diaspora investments in hospitals and research institutions, and empower NiDCOM to coordinate diaspora engagement more effectively.
He urged Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad to deploy their knowledge and experience towards building a resilient and world-class healthcare system capable of delivering quality services to every Nigerian.
The President also commended NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Hon. Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for sustaining programmes that have strengthened engagement between Nigeria and its citizens abroad.
Earlier, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, described the DHII as a flagship intervention that is already improving healthcare delivery through knowledge transfer, specialist medical outreach, research collaboration and workforce development.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, also lauded the initiative, describing it as a strategic platform for healthcare reforms and urging more Nigerian medical professionals abroad to support government efforts.
In her welcome address, NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Hon. Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the Commission has moved “from policy to impact” since its establishment in 2019, highlighting achievements in healthcare, investment, education and humanitarian interventions.
She disclosed that diaspora remittances increased from 17 billion dollars in 2019 to over 21 billion dollars in 2025, while NiDCOM has facilitated medical missions, specialist surgeries, telemedicine, skills transfer and donations of medical equipment worth billions of naira.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs on behalf of Senator Eteng Bassey, Chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Tochukwu Okere, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, the Ambassador of Türkiye to Nigeria, the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago, and other development partners.
The event attracted participants from across the globe, including members of the diplomatic corps, diaspora organisations, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), diaspora medical associations, development partners, government agencies and other stakeholders.
