The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has declared that Nigerians living abroad have evolved from being known primarily for remittances to becoming major drivers of healthcare, investment, education and national development.
Dabiri-Erewa made the declaration at the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebration held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where she highlighted the Commission’s achievements since its establishment in 2019.
The event, themed “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development,” was declared open by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Welcoming participants to the celebration, Dabiri-Erewa described Nigerians in the diaspora as the country’s “7th Region,” saying NiDCOM has successfully moved “from policy to impact” over the last seven years.
She recalled that the Federal Executive Council approved the National Diaspora Policy in 2021, providing a coordinated framework for diaspora engagement across Ministries, Departments and Agencies, while almost all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have established State Diaspora Focal Point Officers to strengthen engagement at the sub-national level.
According to her, NiDCOM is also partnering with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to develop a comprehensive National Diaspora Database that will enable government to identify and connect Nigerian professionals abroad with opportunities to contribute to national development.
She said one of the Commission’s biggest achievements has been the successful implementation of the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (DHII) in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, bringing together Nigerian medical professionals across the world to support healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Dabiri-Erewa explained that the initiative has facilitated medical missions across the six geopolitical zones through partnerships with organisations including the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD), the Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG), the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), the Nigerian Medical Association Germany, the Nigerian-Australian Medical and Dental Association (NAMDA), the Concerned Medics Foundation and the Nigerian Doctors Forum, South Africa.
She noted that diaspora medical professionals have conducted specialist surgeries, trained healthcare workers, introduced telemedicine services and donated medical equipment worth billions of naira to hospitals and primary healthcare centres across the country.
Beyond healthcare, the NiDCOM Chairman said Nigerians abroad are making significant contributions to education through the Diaspora Bridge Programme, which has enabled hundreds of academics to return home for sabbaticals, lectures and mentorship, while a new partnership with San José State University under the Silicon Valley Tech Bridge initiative will provide young Nigerians with training in emerging technologies.
On investment, Dabiri-Erewa disclosed that diaspora remittances increased from 17 billion dollars in 2019 to over 21 billion dollars in 2025, while platforms such as the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS) have continued to attract investments into healthcare, agriculture, real estate, technology, arts and other sectors of the economy.
She announced that Nigeria will host the Nigeria-Saudi Investment and Tourism Summit in Abuja from August 4 to 5, 2026, and the Nigeria Diaspora Economic Conference (NIDEC) in Toronto, Canada, from August 13 to 15, 2026, to further deepen economic collaboration with Nigerians abroad.
She also revealed that a Diaspora Mortgage Scheme, developed in partnership with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), would be launched in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2026, to enable Nigerians abroad own affordable homes in the country.
Reviewing the Commission’s humanitarian interventions, Dabiri-Erewa said NiDCOM has coordinated the evacuation of distressed Nigerians from countries including Sudan, Ukraine, Libya, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and several others, while also intervening in more than 1,200 cases involving detention and mistreatment of Nigerians abroad.
She commended Nigerians in the diaspora who have voluntarily supported the rescue of trafficking victims, including Chief Calistus in Ghana and Prof. Jude Osakwe, whose intervention recently led to the rescue and return of a Nigerian woman trafficked to Cairo, Egypt.
The NiDCOM boss renewed her appeal to the National Assembly to expedite action on the Diaspora Voting Bill, saying political inclusion remains an important component of diaspora engagement.
She also disclosed that the Commission has honoured 91 distinguished Nigerians in the diaspora over the past four years through the National Diaspora Merit Award and plans to introduce Diaspora Excellence Badges to recognise outstanding Nigerians making positive impacts across the world.
Looking ahead, Dabiri-Erewa announced plans to establish a Diaspora Investment Fund and a National Diaspora Health Corps, which is expected to engage about 1,000 Nigerian healthcare professionals in the diaspora annually.
She expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for sustaining government support for diaspora engagement and acknowledged the contributions of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), development partners and private sector organisations.
“When NiDCOM was established in 2019, many people asked what the diaspora could do for Nigeria. Today, the answer is obvious,” she said.
“The diaspora are no longer just about remittances. They are building hospitals, conducting medical missions, lecturing in our universities, investing in agriculture, SMEs, technology and digital infrastructure, while defending Nigeria’s image globally. They are truly our ambassadors at large.”
She added: “We are one nation, one people. The journey continues, and the best is yet to come.”
The event attracted participants from across the globe, including members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), diaspora organisations, international development partners, healthcare professionals, government agencies and other stakeholders committed to strengthening diaspora engagement and national development.
