The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has disclosed that remittances from the Diaspora have surpassed $90 billion in the past five years.
She noted that in December 2024 alone, remittances amounted to no less than N60bn, adding that there was potential for further growth in the future.
She highlighted the Diaspora’s significant role in Nigeria’s development.
Dabiri-Erewa made these remarks on Thursday during her defence of the commission’s 2025 budget before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Diaspora.
She also urged Nigerians living abroad to help improve the country’s image, stressing that people globally now desire to have Nigerians as friends.
Dabiri-Erewa stated, “We’ve reached a stage where the diaspora has proven to be a powerful resource, and we cannot ignore them. They are the number one ambassadors of our country. They will help us change the narrative of Nigeria. In fact, all over the world, everyone now wants to have a Nigerian as a friend. Let’s seize this moment. We can take over the world, and we will.”
She praised President Bola Tinubu for implementing reforms to tackle insecurity, build infrastructure, and make Nigeria a better place, urging widespread support for these changes.
“We have 17 million Nigerians abroad. How much has this contributed to the growth of the economy? In the last five years, remittances alone have exceeded $90 billion. In December, the amount spent coming to Nigeria was not less than N60 billion. This could grow, but we are just scratching the surface,” she added.
In December 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria reported that diaspora remittances processed through International Money Transfer Operators reached $4.22bn between January and October 2024. This figure nearly doubles the $2.62bn recorded during the same period in 2023.
The NiDCOM Chairman also reflected on her December 2024 meetings with several diaspora Nigerians interested in business and human development, emphasising the abundance of future opportunities.
“I hosted many Nigerians in December. My house turned into a hosting venue. These young Nigerians have money to invest, and they are eager to do so. Some are engaging in local businesses. One of the most impressive projects we’re working on involves training young people in digital technology.
“We haven’t formalised this yet, but we will this year, so we can fully appreciate what the diaspora has done,” she concluded.
In his remarks, Senator Victor Umeh, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora, advised that the issue of diaspora voting be postponed until all necessary preparations are in place. He stressed the need to first improve the elections in Nigeria before allowing diaspora participation.
“It’s a question I addressed in Canada and South Africa, where I met Nigerians. We must get properly organised before we open up voting to people abroad. Let’s first manage elections at home before adding Diaspora voting,” he stated.
Umeh added that the NiDCOM was making efforts to capture accurate data on Nigerians living abroad to ensure reliable voting information in the future.
“Once we have reliable data, we can allow diaspora voting. But we need to be confident in our systems first,” he said.
Umeh also called on President Tinubu to give particular attention to NiDCOM, promising that the National Assembly would provide more funding for the diaspora body.
