UK-Based Economist Proposes Multi-Billion Dollar Investment Vehicle for Benue Diaspora

A development economist from Benue State, Dr. Peter Atorough, has unveiled a proposal for a structured investment fund designed to mobilise the wealth and expertise of Benue indigenes living abroad into large-scale economic projects back home.

The proposed initiative, named the Benue in Diaspora Investment Trust (BIDI Trust), is intended to operate as a public-private partnership that would allow members of the Benue diaspora to co-invest with the state government in sectors such as agribusiness, infrastructure, energy, and industrial development.

According to Atorough, Benue has an estimated 250,000 citizens living outside Nigeria, many of whom are financially capable and professionally experienced, yet remain largely disconnected from the state’s formal economic growth plans.

Through a structured system, he projects the fund could attract up to $250 million annually, potentially accumulating more than $3.7 billion within ten years when matched with government contributions.

The investment trust is designed around two categories:

• SME Mini-Projects Model – targeted at individuals and cooperatives looking to invest between $10,000 and $100,000, backed by grants or subsidised loans.

• Large-Scale Projects Model – created for high-net-worth investors and corporate entities willing to invest from $100,000 up to $10 million in major commercial ventures.

Atorough argues that the scheme would fast-track job creation, modernise farming systems, and boost industrial output, while operating under a transparent governance framework that includes government officials, diaspora representatives, and private sector professionals.

He also cited global precedents, including India’s Kerala Pravasi Fund and Ethiopia’s Diaspora Bond, as proof that diaspora-led investment vehicles can significantly accelerate regional development when properly structured.

“The goal is to turn emotional attachment to home into long-term economic impact,” he said, adding that the project would transform personal remittances into formal, scalable investments with measurable outcomes.

If adopted, the BIDI Trust would make Benue one of the first Nigerian states to institutionalise diaspora funding on such a scale.