President Tinubu Backs Nigerian Diaspora as Engine for National Growth, Unveils Investment-Focused Reforms

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s deep commitment to harnessing the vast economic and intellectual potential of Nigerians in the diaspora, describing them as a central pillar in Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Speaking through Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, at the 2025 National Diaspora Day and Award Ceremony in Abuja, President Tinubu pledged to build a more inclusive investment environment tailored to Nigerians abroad. He emphasized that his government’s foreign policy now rests on four key “4D” pillars: Democracy, Demography, Development, and Diaspora.

“We will continue to create and expand platforms that enable effective engagement with the diaspora. Your remittances, skills, and global exposure are instrumental to building the new Nigeria,” the President declared

According to the World Bank, Nigerians in the diaspora have remitted over $99 billion (approximately ₦120 trillion) into the economy over the last six years, with a record $20.9 billion recorded in 2024 alone. This figure dwarfs the country’s total foreign direct investment in the same period, underscoring the diaspora’s pivotal economic role.

The Nigerian government is leveraging this momentum by pursuing the launch of a U.S.-based diaspora bond, targeting $1 billion in monthly remittances by 2026. President Tinubu is also proposing a $10 billion Diaspora Fund to channel remittance inflows into long-term infrastructure, housing, and technology investments.

Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, proposed the establishment of a Diaspora Presidential Fellowship Programme to encourage knowledge exchange and reverse brain drain. The initiative would invite Nigerian professionals abroad to undertake six-month sabbaticals in government, academia, and innovation hubs across Nigeria.

“This programme will strengthen our national capacity, build bridges of expertise, and institutionalize brain gain,” Dr. Dabiri-Erewa said.

Additionally, the “Home and Abroad Housing Platform” was officially launched to facilitate property ownership for Nigerians living overseas. The platform offers simplified mortgage options and verified real estate channels, addressing one of the diaspora’s long-standing pain points.

Minister of Interior, Mr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, lauded the diaspora’s growing impact on Nigeria’s GDP, noting that government policy is increasingly aligned with diaspora needs. Meanwhile, Senator Aniekan Bassey, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, called for better identification systems and full political inclusion, including voting rights.

International development agencies present at the event, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), pledged technical and financial support to enhance diaspora engagement.

IOM Nigeria Chief of Mission, Ms. Sharon Dimanche, urged Nigeria to consider expanding dual citizenship rights and deepening political participation to unlock greater diaspora involvement in development planning.

As Nigeria faces mounting development challenges and economic reform pressures, the diaspora has emerged as a strategic partner. With new frameworks in place for remittances, investments, and knowledge transfer, President Tinubu’s administration appears poised to turn the Nigerian diaspora from a support system into a core engine of national renewal.