Stakeholders Renew Push for Diaspora Voting Ahead of 2027 Elections

Hon. Bobby Digi Olisa, President of Nigerians in Diaspora New York, with News Central TV’s MD/EIC Kayode Akintemi at the Diaspora Town Hall in New York.

Calls for Nigerians in the diaspora to be granted the right to vote have intensified as stakeholders, civil society leaders, and diaspora organisations rallied support at the News Central Diaspora Town Hall held in New York.

The gathering, which brought together leaders of Nigerians abroad and media executives, highlighted the link between the billions of dollars remitted yearly by the diaspora and the demand for equal political recognition through voting rights.

Hon. Bobby Digi Olisa, President of Nigerians in the Diaspora (New York State) and Founder of the Canvas Institute, stressed that Nigeria must adopt global best practices that allow overseas citizens to participate in elections. He called for infrastructural frameworks, including mandatory National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) registrations, to make diaspora voting possible.

“We invest billions into the motherland. Surely, the right to vote should follow. Other countries have implemented absentee ballots and biometric verification. Nigeria must catch up,” Olisa said.

Councillor Hephzibah Olugbemi also underscored the economic significance of diaspora remittances, citing that in July alone Nigerians abroad sent home over half a billion dollars. She maintained that diaspora contributions must be matched with political inclusion.

Similarly, Chibuzor Ubochi, Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Europe, insisted that voting was not a privilege but an intrinsic right. He argued that denying overseas citizens participation undermines Nigeria’s democratic inclusiveness.

According to data referenced at the meeting, remittances to Nigeria stood at about $19.5 billion in 2023 and are projected to rise to $26 billion by 2025, surpassing oil revenues in several years and reinforcing the diaspora’s role as a cornerstone of the economy.

Stakeholders therefore urged the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fast-track constitutional and legislative reforms that would allow secure, transparent diaspora voting by 2027.

They maintained that empowering Nigerians abroad politically will not only strengthen accountability at home but also elevate Nigeria’s democratic standing on the global stage.