The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has called for a more intentional and strategic approach to diaspora engagement across Africa, stressing that trust, communication, and clear frameworks are essential to harness its full potential.
Dabiri-Erewa made this known in Abuja while receiving a delegation from Botswana led by Mr. Dikgang Phillip Makgalemele, who is on a study tour of the Commission.
Represented by the Commission’s Secretary, Dr. Sule Yakubu Bassi, the NiDCOM boss noted that African countries are increasingly recognising the value of their diaspora communities, describing them as critical drivers of development on the continent.
She emphasised that structured and purposeful engagement would foster synergy between Africans at home and those abroad, enabling collaborative solutions to socio-economic challenges and advancing the vision of a prosperous Africa.
According to a statement by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit at NiDCOM, Dabiri-Erewa urged African governments not only to create opportunities for diaspora participation but also to encourage their citizens abroad to return home and invest.
She highlighted Nigeria’s diaspora population, estimated at over 18 million, noting that NiDCOM has implemented several initiatives to strengthen engagement. These include the Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit, National Diaspora Day, Diaspora Housing Scheme, Badagry Door of Return Festival, Diaspora Medical Outreaches, and Presidential Diaspora Town Hall Meetings, among others.
The NiDCOM chairman also invited global stakeholders to the Global Nigeria Investment Summit scheduled to hold in Canada in August 2026.
While reiterating the enthusiasm of Nigerians abroad to contribute to national development, she stressed the need to leverage the diaspora in reshaping Nigeria’s global image and countering negative narratives.
However, Dabiri-Erewa identified key challenges facing the Commission, including inadequate funding, unresolved diaspora voting issues, and limited office space.
In his remarks, Mr. Makgalemele, Executive Chairperson of the Institute for Development Practitioners (I4DP), commended Nigeria’s proactive diaspora engagement model, describing it as a benchmark for other African countries.
He praised Dabiri-Erewa’s leadership in strengthening ties between Nigeria and its diaspora and expressed Botswana’s interest in replicating similar frameworks.
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Makgalemele disclosed that Botswana plans to host its first Trade and Investment Forum next year to attract its diaspora community and explore investment opportunities.
The Botswana delegation’s visit brings to nine the number of countries that have undertaken study tours of NiDCOM, including Ethiopia, Egypt, Tanzania, Namibia, Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Korea, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
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