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Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the chairman and chief executive of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) is full of praises for Nigerians in the Diaspora for consistent contributions and aid to the economy pre and post COVID-19 pandemic through foreign exchange remittances.
The veteran broadcaster and former Lawmaker, who currently oversees the interface between government and Nigerians living and working in foreign countries, in a statement signed by NiDCOM’s Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, observed that diaspora remittances has been on the increase.
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She described the remittances as GDP-boosting in the statement which she personally made available to Prime Business Africa.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, thanked Diaspora Nigerians for what she noted was ”the rise of remittances in the first quarter of the year, by 20.3 per cent, representing the seventh consecutive quarterly increase in diaspora remittances since last quarter in 2020.
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Abdur-Rahman Balogun quoted Dabiri-Erewa as having said that the increase in remittances by Nigerians abroad played significant role in boosting Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which has a impact on on its socio-economic growth
“As the world recovers from the global pandemic and confronts instability of many kinds, we want to honor the efforts of all those who continue to support their loved ones despite the challenging circumstances,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
NiDCOM observed that the recent figures released by the country’s financial services industry regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed an increase in remittances in quarter one of 2022 to $5.16 billion from $ 4.29 billion same period in 2021.
This comes as the CBN’s one year-old ‘Naira 4 Dollar Scheme’ reportedly attracted $2.4 billion in diaspora remittances within eight months, surpassing the figure reported in 2021.
She said NiDCOM would ”continue to push for more engagement with our diaspora who are an indisputable economic factor and are becoming an investment factor in the country.
Dabiri-Erewa also noted that many Nigerians abroad now invest in agriculture, real estate, health, education and ICT, among others.
She requested stakeholders to continue to engage the National Assembly to amend relevant sections of the law to enable INEC to accommodate Diaspora voting in the 2023 general elections.
She assured Nigerians abroad that details of Nigerians Diaspora Investment Trust Fund (NDITF) will soon be unveiled as a platform for structured diaspora investments, just as
Diaspora mortgage and housing facilities are some of the programmes being introduced by NiDCOM for the welfare of the citizens abroad.
In the same vein, 33 states now have State Diaspora Focal Point Officers with Abia setting up the Abia Diaspora Agency, while Edo and Enugu are almost set with their own agencies just as Ondo and Anambra states have Commissioners.
She also described the Diasporans as a valuable asset worth more than the billions of naira they sent home as remittances as they are contributing immensely to national development through training and capacity development.
Stressing that no nation can develop without its diaspora, she emphasized the need for Nigerians at home and in diaspora to work together.
It is expected that by the end of the 2022 financial year, the remittances from Nigerians in the Diaspora from official sources ,would have increased from its current $22 billion to about $25 billion.
