ABUJA — The Federal Government has unveiled plans to formalise diaspora remittances and strengthen engagement with Nigerians abroad as part of efforts to drive economic development and boost national growth.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed this during a meeting with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) in Abuja, where he emphasised the need for structured systems to track and channel diaspora inflows into the formal economy.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and signed by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria must maximise the economic potential of its global diaspora by ensuring remittances are properly captured and aligned with national development priorities.
“We must build a system that tracks inflows and moves transactions from informal to formal channels,” he said, adding that coordinated engagement would enable all states to benefit from diaspora contributions.
The minister linked the initiative to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that diaspora resources remain critical to job creation, infrastructure development and poverty reduction.
He also called for stronger collaboration with NIDCOM to address challenges facing Nigerians abroad and to deepen investment in key sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture and technology.
“Our foreign policy must deliver tangible benefits to citizens,” Enikanolaiye said, stressing that development-focused diplomacy remains central to Nigeria’s international engagements.
He further urged Nigerian missions abroad to improve service delivery and actively promote the country’s interests, while revealing plans to explore alternative funding sources, including partnerships with the private sector.
Enikanolaiye commended the role of NIDCOM in coordinating diaspora activities and supporting the repatriation of Nigerians, noting that inter-agency cooperation has improved outcomes in recent operations.
NIDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in her remarks, said Nigerians in the diaspora are increasingly willing to invest in the country, despite operational challenges such as funding and infrastructure gaps.
Both parties agreed to deepen collaboration to unlock diaspora potential and create a more enabling environment for investment, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to leverage global Nigerian talent for national development.
