President Bola Tinubu announced on Thursday that Nigeria has been ranked among the top 10 countries globally with the most international migrants, citing figures from the United Nations (UN).
This revelation came during the opening of the 2024 National Diaspora Day Celebrations in Abuja, where the theme centered on the “Japa Phenomena and its Implications for National Development.”
LEADERSHIP reports that in what is now commonly known as the ‘Japa Syndrome’ in Nigeria, skilled Nigerians were leaving the country for Europe and other developed countries in search of greener pastures.
Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, President Tinubu acknowledged the complexity and scale of migration among Nigerians.
He highlighted that out of 169 million international migrant workers who have left their countries of origin primarily seeking work, Nigeria contributes a significant portion to this global diaspora population.
The President emphasised the substantial impact of Nigerian citizens living abroad on the country’s development.
Drawing from his personal experience of living in the United States before returning to Nigeria, Tinubu encouraged expatriate Nigerians to bring their experiences back home to contribute to national growth.
In tandem with this migration trend, chairman and CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, revealed that Nigerian diaspora remittances have reached an impressive $100 billion over the past five years. For 2023 alone, Nigeria received $21.9 billion in remittances, underlining the economic significance of its global citizens.
The government’s recognition of the diaspora’s importance was further emphasised by initiatives aimed at engaging overseas Nigerians in national development.
These include the establishment of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and presidential town hall meetings with diaspora communities.
No fewer than 1,000 participants are expected at the 2-day 2024 diaspora day celebrations.
Dabiri-Erewa said: “Let me also state that the contributions of the Diaspora community to national development cannot be over-emphasized.
“According to the World Bank statistics recently, Nigerian Diaspora has remitted over 99 billion US dollars into the system in the last five years. This is huge and highly commendable.”
Dabiri-Erewa stressed that Diaspora is one area that needed to be paid more attention.
She said, “So, this is a sector that we need to pay more attention we haven’t pay attention to it. We need to do a lot more. So we have to tap into the enormous resources we have with the diaspora.
“We are still scratching the surface. And that’s what I will say.”
On the much-expected diaspora voting Bill, she said the Bill, which is being sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, has already scaled the first reading stage in the House of Representatives.
She said it was a huge plus for the Tinubu administration.
She said: “It is worthy of note that the long-awaited Diaspora Voting, which has been a consistent topic of discussion among the Diaspora community, has now passed the first reading in the Parliament, which is a huge plus for this administration.
“The Bill was sponsored by no other persons than Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Hon. Sadiq Ango Abdullahi from Kaduna state.”
Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said the Nigerian Government was committed to Diaspora Engagement for national development.
Abbas, who was represented by his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, announced plans to explore ways to grant voting rights to Nigerians in the diaspora, recognising their relevance to nation-building.
He said a constitution amendment Bill has been presented to the House of Representatives, and the government was committed to making progress on the issue.
The government, he said, acknowledged the significant contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora to the country’s development, particularly in areas such as education, agriculture, ICT, transportation, and healthcare.
He also expressed gratitude to the diaspora community for their efforts and encouraged them to continue making a positive impact.
On his part, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, acknowledged the brain drain phenomenon, where talented youth seek opportunities abroad.
He, therefore, stressed the need to create an environment that fosters technological growth and entices skilled professionals to return home.
The National Assembly, he said, stands ready to enact necessary laws to support the return of skilled professionals home and contribute to the country’s growth.
He also urged Nigerians in the diaspora to remain committed to Nigeria’s progress and invest in local initiatives.
The National Diaspora Day 2024 provided a platform for Nigerians in the diaspora to engage with the government and discuss ways to drive national development. The event underscored the government’s commitment to diaspora engagement and its recognition of the community’s significant contributions to Nigeria’s growth.
Japa: Nigeria Ranks Among Top 10 Globally
* Rakes in $100bn diaspora remittance in 5 years
By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah
President Bola Tinubu announced on Thursday that Nigeria has been ranked among the top 10 countries globally with the most international migrants, citing figures from the United Nations (UN).
This revelation came during the opening of the 2024 National Diaspora Day Celebrations in Abuja, where the theme centered on the “Japa Phenomena and its Implications for National Development.”
LEADERSHIP reports that in what is now commonly known as the ‘Japa Syndrome’ in Nigeria, skilled Nigerians were leaving the country for Europe and other developed countries in search of greener pastures.
Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, President Tinubu acknowledged the complexity and scale of migration among Nigerians.
He highlighted that out of 169 million international migrant workers who have left their countries of origin primarily seeking work, Nigeria contributes a significant portion to this global diaspora population.
The President emphasised the substantial impact of Nigerian citizens living abroad on the country’s development.
Drawing from his personal experience of living in the United States before returning to Nigeria, Tinubu encouraged expatriate Nigerians to bring their experiences back home to contribute to national growth.
In tandem with this migration trend, chairman and CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, revealed that Nigerian diaspora remittances have reached an impressive $100 billion over the past five years. For 2023 alone, Nigeria received $21.9 billion in remittances, underlining the economic significance of its global citizens.
The government’s recognition of the diaspora’s importance was further emphasised by initiatives aimed at engaging overseas Nigerians in national development.
These include the establishment of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and presidential town hall meetings with diaspora communities.
No fewer than 1,000 participants are expected at the 2-day 2024 diaspora day celebrations.
Dabiri-Erewa said: “Let me also state that the contributions of the Diaspora community to national development cannot be over-emphasized.
“According to the World Bank statistics recently, Nigerian Diaspora has remitted over 99 billion US dollars into the system in the last five years. This is huge and highly commendable.”
Dabiri-Erewa stressed that Diaspora is one area that needed to be paid more attention.
She said, “So, this is a sector that we need to pay more attention we haven’t pay attention to it. We need to do a lot more. So we have to tap into the enormous resources we have with the diaspora.
“We are still scratching the surface. And that’s what I will say.”
On the much-expected diaspora voting Bill, she said the Bill, which is being sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, has already scaled the first reading stage in the House of Representatives.
She said it was a huge plus for the Tinubu administration.
She said: “It is worthy of note that the long-awaited Diaspora Voting, which has been a consistent topic of discussion among the Diaspora community, has now passed the first reading in the Parliament, which is a huge plus for this administration.
“The Bill was sponsored by no other persons than Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Hon. Sadiq Ango Abdullahi from Kaduna state.”
Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said the Nigerian Government was committed to Diaspora Engagement for national development.
Abbas, who was represented by his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, announced plans to explore ways to grant voting rights to Nigerians in the diaspora, recognising their relevance to nation-building.
He said a constitution amendment Bill has been presented to the House of Representatives, and the government was committed to making progress on the issue.
The government, he said, acknowledged the significant contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora to the country’s development, particularly in areas such as education, agriculture, ICT, transportation, and healthcare.
He also expressed gratitude to the diaspora community for their efforts and encouraged them to continue making a positive impact.
On his part, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, acknowledged the brain drain phenomenon, where talented youth seek opportunities abroad.
He, therefore, stressed the need to create an environment that fosters technological growth and entices skilled professionals to return home.
The National Assembly, he said, stands ready to enact necessary laws to support the return of skilled professionals home and contribute to the country’s growth.
He also urged Nigerians in the diaspora to remain committed to Nigeria’s progress and invest in local initiatives.
The National Diaspora Day 2024 provided a platform for Nigerians in the diaspora to engage with the government and discuss ways to drive national development. The event underscored the government’s commitment to diaspora engagement and its recognition of the community’s significant contributions to Nigeria’s growth.
