President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has unveiled a major initiative aimed at revitalising Nigeria’s healthcare system by harnessing the expertise, investments and global networks of Nigerian medical professionals in the diaspora.
The initiative, known as the Diaspora Healthcare Impact Initiative (DHII), seeks to mobilise Nigerian doctors, nurses, researchers and other healthcare professionals abroad to provide specialist medical services, train local health workers, support telemedicine, invest in healthcare infrastructure and strengthen the country’s health system.
Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, at the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebration held on Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Tinubu described Nigerians abroad as “one of Nigeria’s greatest assets” whose expertise should play a central role in national development.
The event, themed “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development,” brought together Nigerian professionals and diaspora leaders from Europe, North America, Australia and Africa, including medical practitioners, academics, entrepreneurs, investors and diplomats.
Tinubu said Nigerian professionals abroad had distinguished themselves globally in medicine, science, technology and innovation, stressing that their knowledge, experience and networks must now be strategically integrated into Nigeria’s development agenda.
“Our diaspora is one of Nigeria’s greatest assets. Across continents, Nigerian professionals have excelled in medicine, science, technology and innovation. They have built reputations as some of the finest doctors, researchers and healthcare leaders in the world,” the President said.
From Brain Drain to Brain Gain
In a move aimed at reversing decades of medical brain drain, Tinubu announced plans to institutionalise the DHII through a permanent framework that will coordinate diaspora contributions, provide incentives for professionals willing to return or invest, and ensure measurable outcomes.
According to him, the initiative will expand diaspora medical missions, establish knowledge-sharing partnerships between Nigerian universities and diaspora experts, deploy telemedicine platforms linking overseas specialists with local practitioners, encourage investments in hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturing and research institutions, and strengthen the coordinating role of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
“Whether you are a surgeon in London, a researcher in Boston, a laboratory scientist in China or a nurse in Johannesburg, your skills are vital to building a resilient, inclusive and world-class healthcare system in Nigeria,” Tinubu said.
Medical Missions Reach Over 20 States
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed that the DHII has already moved beyond policy discussions to practical implementation, with diaspora medical professionals carrying out interventions in more than 20 states.
She said Nigerian doctors abroad have undertaken specialist medical missions, delivered telemedicine services, trained healthcare personnel and donated medical equipment worth billions of naira.
According to her, the programme adopts a zonal implementation strategy tailored to regional healthcare needs.
She explained that the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD) and the Nigerian Medical Association Germany are supporting primary healthcare and health system strengthening in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State.
In the North-West, the Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG-UK) is focusing on maternal and child healthcare in Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto States, while the Concerned Medics Foundation is supporting sickle cell screening and treatment in Borno State.
The Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), she added, is providing emergency life support, paediatric care, dental and eye surgeries, as well as chronic disease management across the South-East.
Other interventions include gynaecological services in the South-South through the Nigerian-Australian Medical and Dental Association and specialised procedures such as neurosurgery, interventional radiology and gastro-endoscopy in Lagos by the Nigerian Doctors Forum, South Africa.
Diaspora Remittances Hit $21.8 Billion
Highlighting the economic importance of Nigerians abroad, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, said diaspora remittances now stand at about $21.8 billion annually, making Nigerians overseas a strategic development asset rather than merely a source of consular concerns.
He noted that the Tinubu administration’s foreign policy is anchored on the 4D framework—Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora—with diaspora engagement occupying a central position.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not consider our diaspora population as a burden or a basket case of consular responsibility always in need of assistance. Government recognises the diaspora as one of the nation’s most strategic assets,” he said.
Enikanolaiye observed that remittances from Nigerians abroad exceed the country’s official development assistance from donor nations, while also contributing through technology transfer, innovation, philanthropy, professional networks and international partnerships.
‘Migration Is Talent Circulation’
The minister urged a shift in public perception of migration, arguing that it should be viewed as talent circulation rather than permanent brain drain.
“Migration should not be criminalised, it should not be weaponised or demonised. It is a win-win situation. It is talent circulation—brain gain rather than brain loss,” he said.
He also called on Nigerians abroad to continue promoting the country’s positive image and not allow the actions of a few individuals to define the nation’s global reputation.
NiDCOM Records Major Milestones
Dabiri-Erewa said NiDCOM has recorded significant progress since its establishment in 2019, citing the approval of the National Diaspora Policy in 2021, the creation of State Diaspora Focal Point Officers, the development of a national diaspora database and expanded partnerships with government agencies and international organisations.
She revealed that the Commission is collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to build a comprehensive database of Nigerian professionals abroad, including doctors, engineers, academics, scientists and creatives.
The Commission has also strengthened partnerships with global institutions, including technology organisations in Silicon Valley, to equip young Nigerians with emerging digital skills.
New Investment Initiatives
To deepen diaspora participation in national development, NiDCOM announced several new initiatives, including the Nigeria-Saudi Investment and Tourism Summit scheduled for Abuja in August, the Nigeria Diaspora Economic Conference in Toronto, Canada, and a diaspora mortgage scheme in partnership with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria for Nigerians living in the United Kingdom.
The Commission also unveiled plans to establish a Diaspora Investment Fund, launch a National Diaspora Health Corps expected to engage about 1,000 diaspora health professionals annually, and sustain advocacy for diaspora voting rights.
Closing the event, Enikanolaiye urged Nigerians abroad to put national interest above ethnic and regional considerations, stressing that unity remains essential to Nigeria’s development.
The launch of the DHII marks a significant shift in the Federal Government’s diaspora engagement strategy, positioning millions of Nigerians overseas not only as contributors through remittances but as critical partners in healthcare reform, investment, innovation and national development.
