Didimoko A. Didimoko, Abuja
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), announced that Nigerians living abroad spent around N60 billion during their visits to Nigeria in December 2024.
Speaking during the defence of the NIDCOM budget at the National Assembly on Friday, she also revealed that remittances from the diaspora had surpassed $90 billion in the past five years, highlighting the growing economic impact of the community.
Dabiri-Erewa stressed that the diaspora is a vital resource for Nigeria, noting that their global influence has positioned them as key ambassadors for the country.
“We have 17 million of them. And how much did this generate for the growth of the economy? Remittances alone in the last five years have been over $90 billion. This December, of course, you know, it is not less than N60 billion in what they spent coming to Nigeria. It could grow but it is just scratching the surface.”
She praised President Bola Tinubu’s reforms, which aim to improve security, infrastructure, and governance in Nigeria, and emphasized the need to engage the diaspora for further economic development.
She also proposed the creation of a Diaspora Plaza to facilitate connections between Nigerians abroad and government officials and offer a platform to explore investment opportunities in Nigeria.
Reacting to calls for Diapora voting, Senator Victor Umeh, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora, expressed concerns about Nigeria’s readiness, emphasizing the need to first address challenges within the domestic electoral process before extending voting rights to Nigerians abroad.
Umeh stressed the importance of gathering reliable data on Nigerians in the diaspora to ensure the integrity of future elections.
Umeh also acknowledged the financial challenges faced by NIDCOM and vowed to push for increased funding in the 2025 budget, ensuring the Commission has the resources needed to meet its goals.
Umeh concluded by urging the Nigerian government to better harness the potential of its diaspora community, commending NIDCOM’s efforts while calling on the National Assembly to provide the necessary support for the Commission to succeed.
