The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has called for stronger coordination among Muslim diaspora communities worldwide to tackle discrimination, hate speech and misinformation while expanding their contributions to national and global development.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made the call at the inaugural Muslim Diaspora Forum in Ankara, Türkiye, where representatives from more than 47 countries gathered under the theme, “From Roots to Routes.”
Dabiri-Erewa, who represented Nigeria at the forum declared open by Türkiye’s Vice President, Cevdet Yılmaz, said diaspora engagement should go beyond the traditional focus on financial remittances.
She identified skills transfer, investment, innovation, humanitarian assistance and cultural exchange as critical areas through which diaspora communities could contribute meaningfully to the development of their countries of origin.
Speaking on “Unity in the Diaspora: Current Needs, Common Solutions,” the NiDCOM chief executive said the challenges facing diaspora communities required collective responses, stronger partnerships and sustained international cooperation.
She identified strategic public communication, humanitarian interventions and coordinated campaigns against discrimination and hate speech as areas where Muslim diaspora organisations could collaborate more effectively.
According to her, NiDCOM has continued to provide Nigerians abroad with credible information, promote positive narratives and counter misinformation, while supporting Nigerians affected by crises and vulnerable migrants.
Dabiri-Erewa also highlighted the extensive contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora through medical missions, educational initiatives, philanthropy and other development interventions, stressing that their impact could not be measured solely through financial remittances.
She maintained that migration should not sever the relationship between citizens and their countries of origin, but should instead create opportunities for Nigerians abroad to remain connected and contribute to national development.
She said the shared aspirations of diaspora communities—including dignity, safety, opportunity and freedom to practise their faith—required common and coordinated solutions.
Dabiri-Erewa further said Nigeria would strengthen international cooperation on diaspora affairs and deepen relationships with participating countries to harness the skills, knowledge, investments, cultural resources and diplomatic influence of Nigerians living abroad.
On the sidelines of the forum, she held bilateral meetings with Fuad Muradov, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Committee on Diaspora Affairs; Sayed Ahmed, head of Sudan’s diaspora organisation; and Zahra Zumrut, Director-General of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).
The meetings focused on sharing experiences, strengthening institutional partnerships and identifying areas of cooperation in diaspora engagement and development.
Dabiri-Erewa also met with Ahmet Alemdar, Vice President of Türkiye’s Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), where both sides reviewed the existing Memorandum of Understanding between NiDCOM and YTB.
The meeting underscored the need to translate the agreement into concrete programmes covering diaspora engagement, knowledge exchange, youth development and bilateral cooperation.
Alemdar called for the identification and implementation of specific joint projects between Nigeria and Türkiye that would deepen cooperation and deliver measurable benefits to their respective diaspora communities.
The forum concluded with the presentation of a communique by the programme liaison, Ali Fahad, a Turkish-Nigerian, which called for sustaining the theme and gains of the summit.
The inaugural Muslim Diaspora Forum provided a platform for participating countries to exchange experiences and develop coordinated approaches to the challenges confronting their citizens and communities abroad.
