The Nigerian in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring proper implementation of the Draft National Diaspora Policy for the growth and development citizens living abroad.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, gave the assurance in Abuja on Tuesday in her address at a stakeholders meeting on the validation of the Draft National Diaspora Policy.
The meeting was organised by the European Union (EU) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
She said that although there were policies on Diaspora Development Initiative, more would be done to ensure holistic approach through the commission to ensure effective implementation of diaspora policy implementation.
Dabiri-Erewa said: “Now we have a framework to engage Nigerians in the diaspora.
“So, this policy which is very robust, very holistic if adopted by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will be our Bible to engaging Nigerians in diaspora.
“Gone are the days when we will be paying lip service to say we are the best in the world; now we want to do something concrete about it.
“So, Nigerians in diaspora – estimated to be 15 to 17 million people – can be part of the programmes, policies, and development of their own country.
“They are passionate about it, but there has not been a structure; now there is.
“In this policy are implementation strategies, medium-term, and long-term goals.”
The CEO noted that the policy document would include implementation strategies, short term, medium term and long term goals of the commission.
She reiterated that with the establishment of the diaspora commission and the design of a national diaspora policy, Nigerians living abroad would have no excuse not to invest in their fatherland.
She added that beyond the remittance of $26 billion by Nigerians in diaspora, much more would be done to encourage them to invest in the country.
In her remarks, Ms Saskia Kok, Migrant Protection and Assistance Officer of IOM, said that because Nigerians living abroad did not invest in the country, their huge development potentials have remained untapped.
“Now more than ever before, national governments – at both ends of the migration cycle – have come to recognise the value of diaspora engagement and are seeking ways to take advantage of the engagements.
“Countries of origin will attract diaspora talent and resources, while countries of destination hope to increase the effectiveness of their migration and integration policies.
“In recognition of the potential of diaspora, the government of Nigeria has articulated a clear policy direction to effectively utilise, support, and engage the diaspora professionals,” he said.
In a remark, Mrs Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, said that the approval of the National Migration Policy by FEC would go a long way toward proper management of migration in the country.
According to her, Nigeria ranks number five in the world and first in Africa, in terms of the value of remittance inflow.
“In the past seven years, the volume of remittance flow has averaged $22 billion annually; the value of Nigerian diaspora contribution to their host countries and Nigeria is inspiring.
“Hence, diaspora engagement is one of the five migration thematic pillars of the national migration policy governance structure,” Farouq said.
High points of the event was the presentation of the project EU-IOM initiative for migration protection and reintegration in Nigeria and validation of the Draft National Diaspora Policy and Action Plan.
