The Federal Government has assured Nigerians living in Angola that the Nigerian economy is growing and efforts are ongoing to tackle insecurity and strengthen national security across the country.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the assurance during an engagement with members of the Nigerian community in Luanda, Angola, alongside the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd.), and the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
The engagement was held on the sidelines of the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Luanda. The Nigerian delegation to the summit was led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Addressing the community, Tunji-Ojo said the country was on the path of economic recovery, declaring that, “Nigeria is growing, the economy is growing and Nigeria is on the path of full recovery.”
The Minister also responded to a major concern raised by Nigerians in Angola over access to Nigerian passports, promising to look into their request for the establishment of a passport production centre in the country.
He said such an arrangement would help ease the difficulties Nigerians face in obtaining passport booklets and accessing related services.
On his part, Defence Minister Musa acknowledged the security challenges confronting Nigeria, noting that some of the threats were linked to instability in the Sahel region, with consequences spilling across national borders.
Musa assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was implementing comprehensive measures to strengthen the nation’s borders and prevent security threats and incursions.
He said the administration remained committed to defeating security threats across the country, adding that efforts were being intensified to increase the manpower, equipment and operational capacity of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
The Minister stressed that the government was determined to protect the lives and property of Nigerians while addressing emerging security threats.
Also speaking, Dabiri-Erewa commended Nigerians in Angola for their contributions to Nigeria’s development and for projecting a positive image of the country in their host nation.
She assured them that the Federal Government valued the contributions, concerns and welfare of Nigerians in the Diaspora, stressing that their voices remained important in shaping policies and interventions affecting them.
Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians in Angola to remain united, law-abiding and committed to contributing positively to the development of both Nigeria and Angola.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian community, the Secretary of the Nigeria Community Association in Angola, Nnaemeka Francis Obi, commended the government delegation for the engagement.
Obi highlighted challenges confronting Nigerians in Angola, particularly the difficulty in accessing passport and consular services, and called for the establishment of a Nigerian passport office in the country.
He also raised concerns over healthcare challenges affecting Nigerians in Angola and appealed for the introduction of direct flights operated by a Nigerian airline between Nigeria and Angola.
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The engagement provided an opportunity for the government delegation to receive first-hand concerns from Nigerians in Angola while reaffirming the administration’s commitment to deepening Diaspora engagement and addressing issues affecting Nigerians abroad.
NiDCOM said the Federal Government, through relevant agencies, would continue to strengthen its engagement with Nigerians across the globe and work towards finding responsive solutions to issues concerning their welfare and interests.
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