Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has revealed that Nigerians living abroad spent about N60 billion during their visits to Nigeria in December 2024.
This reflects the increasing influence of the diaspora community on the Nigerian economy, with remittances alone exceeding $90 billion over the past five years.
Speaking at a National Assembly Joint Committee on Diaspora session, Dabiri-Erewa highlighted the growing economic and social contributions of Nigerians abroad, noting their critical role in nation-building.
She stated, “You know, we’ve reached a stage where in the last five years, we’ve shown that the diaspora is a powerful force, resource, and we cannot ignore them. And, you know, they are the number one ambassadors of our country. They will help us change the narrative of our country.”
She also proposed the establishment of a Diaspora Plaza, which would serve as a hub for Nigerians abroad to engage with government officials and explore investment opportunities.
Dabiri-Erewa emphasized that Nigerians in the diaspora are a valuable resource for the country, saying, “Let’s seize the moment. We can take over the world, and we will.”
However, concerns were raised regarding Nigeria’s readiness for diaspora voting.
Senator Victor Umeh, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora, cautioned that the country must first address challenges within its domestic electoral process before considering voting rights for Nigerians abroad.
Umeh said, “We must tell ourselves the truth. We must get properly organised before we open up to people voting from outside Nigeria. Let’s us manage our own elections at home first before we add diaspora voting.”
He further stressed the need for reliable data and a well-organized system to avoid potential complications in the voting process, stating, “If you are not prepared with your data that is reliable, you can finish all the elections in Nigeria, and you say, I’m waiting for votes that will come from America. Somebody will throw three million votes from there, or from Asia, before you know it, the courts will not have peace. Then you continue to struggle to prove those votes.”
Despite these concerns, Umeh and other lawmakers expressed their support for increasing financial backing for NIDCOM to enhance its capacity to engage effectively with the diaspora community.
Umeh assured, “Funding has been the problem of NIDCOM, and we are determined as a parliament to support them and help them. In the 2024 appropriation, the provisions were very poor.
“ The National Assembly worked hard to add something to their budget.
“This year again, we have seen how they operated last year under difficult circumstances, and again, we’re going to make moves for them, and we’ll call on Mr. President to pay particular attention to the diaspora community.”
