NDIS 2025: Shettima Rallies Diaspora as FG Unveils New Investment Incentives, Infrastructure, Digital Economy Reforms
Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians in the diaspora to deepen their investment footprint in the country, describing them as indispensable partners in Nigeria’s economic transformation drive.
Speaking at the opening of the 8th Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS 2025) on Wednesday in Abuja, Shettima—represented by Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—said the Tinubu administration is building a new economic architecture founded on transparency, accountability, security, and digital innovation.
He said the 2025 summit theme, “Fast-Tracking Regional and National Development by Mobilising Diaspora Investment,” aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s priorities of attracting investment, expanding job opportunities, and accelerating infrastructure growth.
According to the Vice President, diaspora remittances which reached over $21 billion in 2024 remain a major pillar of household welfare and enterprise development in Nigeria. He added that recent policy reforms—including the Non-Resident BVN and a more flexible exchange rate regime—were designed to ease transactions and create a favourable climate for diaspora investors.
Shettima highlighted multi-sectoral reforms under implementation, listing the approval of ₦4.2 trillion for strategic roads and bridges, ₦1.3 trillion to clear power-sector legacy debts, and the deployment of over 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cables to expand digital connectivity.
“When our infrastructure, MSMEs, and diaspora investments work in harmony, progress becomes unstoppable,” he said, urging Nigerians abroad to “come home economically” by investing in local industries and talent.
NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in her welcome address, described the summit as a maturing platform for converting diaspora passion into concrete investments. She applauded the Nigerian diaspora for consistently remitting about $25 billion annually, calling it an act of patriotism that continues to anchor millions of homes.
“Our aim is to go beyond remittances,” she said. “We are establishing structured pathways for investments that create jobs, transform communities, and strengthen local economies.”
Chairman of the Nigeria Diaspora Summit Initiative (NDSI), Dr. Badewa T. Adejugbe-Williams, said the summit had grown into one of Nigeria’s most influential diaspora engagement platforms, driven by the shared commitment of government, investors, and development partners.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Chief of Mission, Ms. Sharon Dimanche, commended Nigeria’s leadership in institutionalising diaspora engagement through NiDCOM. She advocated expanded investment instruments such as diaspora bonds and blended financing to sustain long-term growth.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, noted that Nigeria had attracted over $1.3 billion in new mining investments within a year, crediting this to reforms including the revocation of over 3,000 dormant mining licences. He urged diaspora experts to participate in value-addition ventures, especially in refining and processing minerals locally.
Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, called on Nigerians home and abroad to project a positive national image, stressing that investor decisions are often shaped by perceptions of a country. He cited Nigeria’s removal from the FATF grey list as proof of reform progress.
The Minister of Steel Development, Mohammed Abubakar Audu, encouraged diaspora investors to explore opportunities in the steel and metals sector, citing ongoing reforms and new industrial projects, including a $400 million Stellar Steel Plant in Kogi State.
Director-General of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA), Col. Garba Moyi Isa (Rtd.), reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting diaspora-led development initiatives.
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A key highlight of the event was the unveiling of a new publication, “The Nigerian Project,” by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris Malagi. Produced by NiDCOM, the book documents the achievements of Nigerians at home and abroad across diverse sectors.
The two-day summit continues with investment pitches, policy dialogues, and the signing of new partnership agreements across priority sectors.
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