Over N60bn spent on Nigerians abroad, during visit to the country, Dabiri-Erewa

By Tom Okpe

Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has said over N60 billion was spent on Nigerians, living outside the country, in December, 2024, during their visit to the country.

She also disclosed that the expenditure is a testament to the diaspora’s growing impact on the Nigerian economy, noting that remittances alone in the last five years, exceeded $90 billion.

Dabiri -Erewa made these disclosure before the National Assembly Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives at the National Assembly, Abuja before the Committee on Diaspora, to defend the Commission’s 2025 budget, on Friday.

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While commending contributions of diaspora Nigerians and growing interest in investing and engaging in nation-building, she noted that over the last five years, the Commission has made significant effort, by thinking outside the box and prioritizing, diaspora population.

“You know, we have reached a stage where in the last five years, we showed that the diaspora is a powerful force, resourceful and we cannot ignore them.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has brought in reforms that everybody should support, tackling insecurity, building infrastructure,, taking the hard decisions that will make Nigeria a better place.

“Our diaspora citizens are the number one ambassadors of our country. They will help us change the narrative of our country.
And, all over the world, everybody now, wants to have a Nigerian as a friend. So let’s seize the moment. We can take over the world, and we will.

“We have 17 million of them. And how much did this generate for the growth of the economy; remittances alone in the last five years have been over $90 billion.

“This December, of course, you know, it is not less than N60 billion in what they spent coming to Nigeria. It could grow but it is just scratching the surface,” she said.

The NIDCOM boss further explained that the Commission is exploring innovative funding strategies, including working with the National Assembly Committee on diaspora to enhance its financial capacity, proposing establishment of a Diaspora Plaza, which she said would serve as a hub for Nigerians abroad to connect, engage with Government officials, and learn about opportunities within the country.

In his speech, Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora, Senator Victor Umeh, expressed reservations about Nigeria’s readiness for diaspora voting.

While responding to questions from journalist on Nigerians in the diaspora voting, during elections, Umeh said Nigeria must first, tackle challenges confronting its own electoral process before thinking of extending such right to Nigerians in the diaspora, warning that, “allowing Nigerians in the diaspora to vote without reliable data and systems in place could have grave consequences.

“It is a question I answered both in Canada and South Africa where I met Nigerians there. We must tell ourselves the truth. We must get properly organised before we open up to people voting from outside Nigeria. Let us manage our own elections at home first, before we add diaspora voting.

“We are preparing for it. But I am saying that, we need to put the enabling environment for it to succeed. The NIDCOM is doing everything possible to capture Nigerians in the diaspora to know how many of them are living outside and document them, those in America, Europe, Africa, in Asia and so on.

“We need to know where they are, so that the data will be reliable before you expose them to elections.

“If you are not prepared with your data that is reliable, you can finish all the elections in Nigeria, and you say, I am waiting for votes that will come from America. Somebody will throw three million votes from there, or from Asia , before you know it, the courts will not have peace.

“Then, you will continue to struggle to prove those votes. However, gradually, when we get to that level of confidence, we can give them an opportunity to start voting from outside.”

Umeh while stressing the need for supporting NIDCOM financially to enable it, continue engaging the diaspora effectively, assured that the Committee will fight for an increase in funds for the Commission in the 2025 budget

According to him, “the diaspora community is important to Nigeria,” adding that; “those living abroad are exposed to advanced cultures and more efficient ways of doing things,” he added.