The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu’s four agenda of: Development, Democracy, Demography, and Diaspora, will be pursued to logical conclusion by bringing modern solutions to address complex challenges for national development.
Ambassador Tuggar stated this when the Chairman/CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, led the Management and Staff of NiDCOM on a solidary visit to the minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.
The Foreign Affairs Minister noted that Nigeria should tap into its diaspora beyond Europe and America and also focus on Africa Diasporas to utilise its global exposure, skills and competences for national development.
Commending NiDCOM for performing excellently well within the short period of four years of its establishment, Tuggar stated that some of NiDCOM’s programmes especially the National Diaspora Day is worthy of emulation.
He noted that the world has tuned into Nigerian heritage and there is a yearning for Nigerian culture out there, hence the need to navigate Nigeria’s soft power to advantage.
The Minister also maintained that NiDCOM could synegize with the Global Citizens Help Desk domiciled in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in case of emergencies for diaspora Nigerians.
Breifing the newly appointed Minister, Dabiri-Erewa stated that within four years, NiDCOM has consistently hosted the National Diaspora Day, attracting over 5,000 hybrid participants anually including an inaugural Diaspora Merit Award 2023.
Other strides include:
1. Developing National Diaspora Policy
2. Diaspora Data Mapping
3. National Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS)
4. Diaspora Housing Mortgage Scheme
5. States Diaspora Focal Point Officers Summit
6. Diaspora Quarterly Lecture
7. Badagry Door of Return
8. The Diaspora Weekly TV Show amongst others.
The NiDCOM boss therefore prayed for robust collaboration with strategic ministries and agencies to upscale Diaspora remittances,(currently at about $22billion annually) Diaspora Direct Investments, Diaspora Medical Missions and the establishment of Diaspora Continental Offices.
