FG Calls on Diaspora Nigerians to Drive Industrialisation with Strategic Investments

The Federal Government has appealed to Nigerians in the diaspora to go beyond sending remittances and actively invest in sectors that can transform the nation’s economy.

Speaking at the Ota Investment Summit and Trade Fair, held from August 12 to 14, Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said that industrial growth in Nigeria requires deliberate contributions from diaspora professionals and entrepreneurs.

Represented by Dipo Odebowale, Head of NiDCOM’s Lagos Office, Dabiri-Erewa stressed that the skills and financial strength of Nigerians abroad could power projects in agro-processing, manufacturing, logistics, technology hubs, and export-focused enterprises.

“Remittances bring over $20 billion annually into Nigeria, accounting for nearly six percent of our GDP,” she noted. “But that is just the beginning. We need investments, innovation, and knowledge transfer to build industries at home.”

She described Ota as a strategic industrial base with untapped potential and emphasized that attracting diaspora investment would boost job creation, infrastructure, and non-oil revenue sources. Dabiri-Erewa also pointed out that President Bola Tinubu’s development agenda aligns with such efforts to diversify Nigeria’s economy.

The Olota of Ota, Professor Adeyemi Obalanlege, applauded NiDCOM’s leadership in protecting Nigerians abroad while encouraging them to give back to their communities. He pledged that Ota would remain an investment-friendly hub ready to host new ventures.

Dabiri-Erewa concluded that organized engagement between government and diaspora networks is essential to accelerate Nigeria’s next phase of industrialisation and global competitiveness.