The Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) have called for a more robust and coordinated diaspora policy framework to accelerate Nigeria’s national development.
The appeal was made on Tuesday at a high-level validation workshop convened to review findings from a comprehensive diaspora study covering six continents. The initiative is aimed at deepening engagement with Nigerians abroad and maximising their contributions to economic and social growth.
In her opening remarks, NISER Director-General, Antonia Taiye Simbine, described the Nigerian diaspora as a strategic national asset, noting that annual remittances exceed $20 billion—among the highest in Africa. She added that beyond financial inflows, diaspora Nigerians contribute critical expertise, innovation and global networks capable of enhancing the country’s competitiveness.
Simbine, however, identified key constraints limiting effective diaspora engagement, including policy inconsistencies, weak institutional coordination, regulatory bottlenecks and trust deficits among stakeholders. She noted that the validation workshop offers an opportunity to refine the study’s recommendations to ensure they are practical, inclusive and impactful.
Also speaking, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, urged a strategic shift in the utilisation of diaspora remittances, advocating a transition “from remittances for consumption to remittances for investment.”
Dabiri-Erewa highlighted the global competitiveness of Nigerians in the diaspora, citing their contributions across sectors such as healthcare, technology and governance. She explained that the study’s outcome would inform a structured roadmap for diaspora engagement anchored on improved policy coordination, investment-friendly systems and technology transfer.
She further emphasised the importance of data-driven policymaking, noting that Nigeria must deliberately convert the challenge of “brain drain” into opportunities for “brain gain” and “brain circulation.”
Contributing to the discussions, representatives of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) underscored the growing role of diaspora professionals in strengthening the country’s healthcare system. Speaking on behalf of the association’s president, Bala Muhammad Audu, Dr. Idris Liman pointed to innovations such as locally available in vitro fertilisation (IVF) services as evidence of the impact of knowledge transfer from Nigerian experts abroad.
He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to collaboration with diaspora medical professionals to improve healthcare delivery and reduce reliance on medical tourism.
Participants at the workshop agreed that sustained and well-coordinated diaspora engagement could be transformative for Nigeria’s development. The validation process is expected to produce refined, evidence-based policy recommendations to guide government efforts in integrating diaspora contributions into national planning.
