The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has honoured outstanding Nigerians living abroad for their exceptional contributions to healthcare, innovation, humanitarian service and national development, underscoring the growing impact of diaspora engagement in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The recognition came at the 2026 National Diaspora Merit Awards Dinner, the grand finale of the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebrations held in Abuja. The awards, instituted in 2024, celebrate Nigerians in the diaspora whose professional excellence, patriotism and commitment continue to make significant contributions to the country’s development.
Welcoming guests to the ceremony, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Hon. Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the Nigerian diaspora as one of the nation’s greatest assets, saying this year’s National Diaspora Day deliberately focused on healthcare because of the remarkable contributions of Nigerian medical professionals around the world.
She disclosed that through the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (DHII), medical missions from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and South Africa returned to Nigeria to provide life-saving medical interventions, specialist consultations, capacity building and technology transfer.
According to her, the volunteer medical teams carried out surgeries, trained healthcare workers, introduced modern medical techniques and strengthened healthcare delivery in different parts of the country, all without charging beneficiaries.
“They have changed lives, reduced mortality, introduced new technology and demonstrated what it truly means to give back to one’s country,” Dabiri-Erewa said while applauding the selfless commitment of the diaspora medical teams.
She noted that the impact of the medical outreach further reinforces the importance of harnessing the expertise of Nigerians abroad to complement government efforts at improving healthcare delivery.
The NiDCOM Chairman thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support for diaspora engagement initiatives and acknowledged the encouragement received from Vice President Kashim Shettima, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, development partners and corporate sponsors.
She also highlighted the success of the Youth Summit organised as part of the National Diaspora Day celebration, describing it as an important platform for mentoring and inspiring young Nigerians to believe in their potential and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Dabiri-Erewa appreciated the support of sponsors and partners whose contributions made the celebration successful, while urging Nigerians in the diaspora to continue investing their knowledge, skills and resources in the country’s development.
Quoting President Tinubu’s message to Nigerians abroad, she said, “Never stop giving back. Your country needs your hands, your hearts and your healing.”
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative as a practical demonstration of patriotism and a shining example of the enormous value Nigerians abroad bring to the nation’s healthcare sector.
He commended Nigerian doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, laboratory scientists and other healthcare professionals from across the globe who returned home to conduct medical missions, perform specialist surgeries, mentor local professionals and provide critical healthcare services.
Salako highlighted the contributions of organisations including the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas, Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain, Nigerian Medical Association Germany, Nigerian Doctors Forum South Africa, Concerned Medics Foundation, Nigerian Medical Association Australia and several other diaspora professional bodies.
According to him, the various outreach programmes provided free consultations and surgeries to thousands of Nigerians while equipping more than one thousand frontline healthcare workers with advanced skills in emergency care, maternal health, ultrasound diagnosis, telemedicine and other specialised areas.
He assured diaspora healthcare professionals that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would continue to work with relevant regulatory bodies to simplify registration, licensing and logistics to encourage greater participation in future medical missions.
Delivering the keynote address, Chairman of Channels Media Group, Dr. John Momoh, challenged Nigerians to redefine patriotism beyond geographical boundaries, insisting that the country’s greatest natural resource has always been its people.
“Our greatest natural resource has never been beneath the ground; it has always been Nigerians,” he said.
Momoh urged Nigerian professionals abroad to leverage their expertise, global networks and experience to strengthen healthcare, education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.
He stressed that patriotism should not be measured by where one lives but by the value one contributes, noting that Nigerians abroad can continue building the nation through mentorship, investment, research collaboration, technology transfer and support for healthcare delivery.
The veteran broadcaster also called for stronger partnerships among government, the private sector, academic institutions and the diaspora to unlock Nigeria’s enormous human capital and transform critical sectors through sustained collaboration.
The ceremony climaxed with the presentation of the 2026 National Diaspora Merit Awards to distinguished Nigerians and diaspora organisations whose outstanding contributions have advanced healthcare, education, innovation, humanitarian service and national development.
The event ended with renewed commitments by stakeholders to deepen collaboration between Nigeria and its global diaspora community, particularly through the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative, which has continued to demonstrate the transformative power of diaspora expertise in advancing sustainable national development.
