Mathew Amaechi
Nigerians living abroad spent a staggering N60 billion during their visits to the country in December 2024, according to Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM). This significant expenditure underscores the growing impact of the diaspora community on the Nigerian economy.
Dabiri-Erewa revealed that remittances alone have exceeded $90 billion over the last five years, demonstrating the diaspora’s increasing contribution to Nigeria’s economic growth. The chairman commended the diaspora community’s enthusiasm for investing and engaging in nation-building, noting that they are Nigeria’s number one ambassadors worldwide.
According to her, the commission has in the last five years made significant strides by thinking outside the box and prioritizing the diaspora population.
“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,” she said.
“And they are the number one ambassadors of our country. They will help us change the narrative of our country. In fact, all over the world, everybody now wants to have a Nigerian as a friend. So let’s seize the moment. We can take over the world, and we will.”
“President Bola Tinubu has brought in reforms that everybody should support. Tackling insecurity, building infrastructure, taking the hard decisions that will make Nigeria a better place. So it’s very simple.”
“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 submitted.
Dabiri-Erewa observed that the large influx of diaspora Nigerians in December 2024 was the result of years of consistent interaction and engagement with the community.
Meanwhile, Senator Victor Umeh, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora, emphasized the need for reliable data and systems before considering diaspora voting. Umeh assured that the committee will push for increased funding for NIDCOM in the 2025 budget, recognizing the importance of the diaspora community to Nigeria’s development.