The President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government, through the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged Nigerians abroad to bring investments back home, noting that diaspora remittances play a key role in the country’s economic prosperity.
The Chairperson/Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made the call during the Ota Investment Summit and Trade Fair in Ogun State, which was held between August 12 and 14.
The event had the theme ‘Industrial Revolution: Potential and Opportunities from Ota to the Rest of the World.’
Represented by the Head of NiDCOM’s Lagos Office, Dipo Odebowale, Dabiri-Erewa emphasised that “the true power lies in diaspora investment, knowledge transfer, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Diaspora Nigerians are doctors, engineers, financiers, creatives, and entrepreneurs. They are making significant contributions in their host countries, and increasingly, they are eager to give back to their homeland, not only emotionally but also economically.”
She stated, “Imagine channelling diaspora capital into agro-processing plants, tech hubs, manufacturing clusters, logistics, and export-driven enterprises right here in Ota. This is not only possible but also necessary for Nigeria’s next phase of industrialisation.”
According to her, the summit complemented NIDCOM’s ongoing engagements with Nigerians in the diaspora, encouraging them to invest back home and contribute to the nation’s growth
The NIDCOM’s CEO added, “The Nigerian Diaspora is not just a community abroad, it is an economic force. Our diaspora contributes over $20bn annually through remittances alone, which is nearly six per cent of Nigeria’s GDP. But remittances are just the tip of the iceberg.
“This summit couldn’t have come at a better time as Nigeria is going through a renewal process by looking for ways to diversify the economy from the oil sector to the non-oil sector, driven by diversification efforts, inflow of Nigeria, and by extension Ota, and mobilise resources for foreign direct investments from the diaspora. Hence, the need to harness the opportunities from this summit to develop Africa’s investment.”
Erewa described the summit as both timely and thoughtfully organised, aligning with the Federal Government’s drive for economic transformation.
She added that infrastructural development would play a pivotal role in achieving the targets set by the summit, noting that she was confident President Bola Tinubu was already thinking along the same lines in his national development agenda.
In his remarks, the Olota of Ota, Professor Adeyemi Obalanlege, commended Erewa for her commitment to the welfare and active engagement of Nigerians living abroad. He lauded NIDCOM’s track record in protecting diaspora interests and assured that the people of Ota would continue to mobilise efforts to sustain the city’s reputation as a leading industrial hub for national economic viability.
Credit: punchng.com
