As Nigeria marked the 2026 National Diaspora Day (NDD), stakeholders from the National Assembly, diplomatic community, international organisations and government agencies renewed calls for stronger collaboration with Nigerian medical professionals in the diaspora to strengthen the nation’s healthcare system and accelerate national development.
The stakeholders made the call during the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebration held in Abuja on Saturday, where discussions focused on leveraging the expertise, experience and global networks of Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad to improve healthcare delivery, especially in underserved communities.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Aniekan Bassey, represented by Senator Anthony Yari, advocated deeper collaboration with Nigerian medical professionals in the diaspora through research, telemedicine, mentorship and targeted investments.
He described diaspora medical practitioners as valuable partners in Nigeria’s healthcare development and commended their continued contributions towards improving healthcare services across the country.
Also speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Chinedu Tochukwu Okere, described Nigeria’s medical diaspora as a strategic national asset whose global expertise could significantly strengthen the country’s healthcare system.
He urged government at all levels to formulate policies that would encourage greater diaspora participation while calling on Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad to partner with local institutions, register with relevant professional councils and volunteer their expertise for national development.
The Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms Miriam Morales Palmero, highlighted the longstanding diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Cuba, stressing the need to deepen bilateral cooperation in healthcare, education and capacity building as key drivers of sustainable development.
In his remarks, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Nigeria, Mr Amr Taha, described the celebration as an opportunity to recognise the invaluable contributions of diaspora communities worldwide.
He noted that migrants account for about 3.5 million of the world’s population and contribute over 10 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adding that this year’s theme aptly reflected the enormous potential of the Nigerian diaspora to support national development.
Taha assured participants that IOM Nigeria would continue supporting effective migration management while applauding Nigerian medical professionals abroad for contributing to the country’s healthcare system beyond financial remittances.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, congratulated the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) on the Diaspora Health Initiative (DHII), describing it as a strategic intervention capable of transforming Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
While acknowledging challenges such as brain drain, inadequate medical infrastructure, funding constraints and shortages of medical supplies, Mignot said these challenges also present opportunities to harness the expertise of Nigerian healthcare professionals overseas for sustainable national development.
Similarly, the Head of Office of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), Isabelle Wolfsgruber, observed that diaspora engagement extends beyond medicine.
She maintained that Nigeria possesses abundant talent and emphasised that the real challenge lies in developing effective policies and partnerships capable of translating available expertise into lasting and measurable impact.
According to her, stronger collaboration among government institutions, diaspora professionals, private-sector actors and international development partners is essential to building a more resilient healthcare system.
Participants also commended the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for her unwavering commitment to strengthening diaspora engagement and creating platforms that connect Nigerians abroad with national development initiatives.
The 2026 National Diaspora Day was celebrated under the theme, “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development,” with participants highlighting diaspora-led medical outreach, knowledge transfer, mentorship, innovation and strategic partnerships as critical pillars for improving healthcare delivery and achieving sustainable national development.
