Nigerians in diaspora remitted $90bn in 5 years – NiDCOM

The chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has informed that Nigerians living abroad spent about N60 billion during their visits to the country in December 2024.  

She stated this when she appeared for the commission’s 2025 budget defence before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Diaspora on Thursday.

She also added that diaspora remittances had also exceeded $90 billion in the last five years, saying the expenditure was a testament to the growing impact of diaspora on the Nigerian economy. 

Dabiri-Erewa commended diaspora Nigerians and their growing interest in investing and engaging in nation-building.

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She noted that over the last five years, the commission had made significant strides by thinking outside the box and prioritising the diaspora population. 

The NiDCOM chairman said: “We have reached a stage where, in the last five years, we have shown that the diaspora is a powerful force and resources and we cannot ignore them.  

“We have 17 million of them. And how much did this generate for the growth of the economy? Remittances alone in the last five years have been over $90 billion. This December, of course, you know, it is not less than N60 billion in what they spent coming to Nigeria. It could grow but it is just scratching the surface,” she said. 

Dabiri-Erewa observed that the large influx of diaspora Nigerians in December 2024 was the result of years of consistent interaction and engagement with the community. 

Responding, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora, Senator Victor Umeh, stressed the need to support NiDCOM financially to enable it to continue engaging the diaspora effectively.

He assured that the committee would fight for an increase in funds for the commission in the 2025 budget, adding that the diaspora community is important to Nigeria and that Nigerians living abroad are exposed to advanced cultures and more efficient ways of doing things.