By Our Correspondent
A convener of the Nigerian in Diaspora Political Awareness Campaign (NIPAC), Engr. Olufemi Kolawole has called for a comprehensive national strategy to harness the vast human and financial resources of Nigerians living abroad, describing the diaspora as “one of the country’s most valuable yet underutilised development assets.”
In a detailed policy paper titled “Leveraging the Contributions of Nigerians in the Diaspora for Sustainable Economic Growth and Enhanced National Development,” Kolawole argued that migration, though a longstanding global phenomenon, has taken on new dimensions in the 21st century. For Nigeria, he noted, emigration has produced a dynamic and influential diaspora community spread across Africa, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.
He explained that the Nigerian diaspora estimated at between 1.5 and 3 million people living outside the country on a relatively permanent basis comprises not only economic migrants but also highly skilled professionals, academics, entrepreneurs, students and second-generation Nigerians who maintain deep cultural and financial ties to their homeland.
Kolawole pointed out that countries such as India, China, Israel, Philippines, Ghana and Ethiopia have deliberately created policies and institutions to engage their diasporas as investors, knowledge brokers, lobbyists and cultural ambassadors.
According to him, Nigeria must adopt a similarly structured and strategic approach if it is to unlock the full development potential of its global citizens.
He identified remittances as the most visible and measurable contribution of Nigerians abroad, noting that Nigeria consistently ranks among Africa’s top remittance-receiving nations.
These inflows, he said, support household welfare, fund education and healthcare, stabilise local economies and provide critical foreign exchange. However, he cautioned that remittances alone cannot drive structural transformation unless channelled into productive investment aligned with national development priorities.
Beyond remittances, Kolawole highlighted diaspora investments in real estate, construction, hospitality, logistics, technology, agribusiness and the creative industries.
He observed that many diaspora entrepreneurs act as bridges between Nigerian producers and international markets, while others return home as “reverse migrants,” bringing with them global standards, networks and expertise.
The paper also underscored the importance of knowledge and skills transfer. Nigerian doctors, nurses, academics, ICT professionals and engineers working abroad, he noted, can contribute through telemedicine, visiting lectureships, research collaboration, mentorship and advisory roles.
Structured short-term return programmes, digital engagement platforms and professional exchange schemes, he argued, would enable the country to transform “brain drain” into “brain circulation.”
Kolawole emphasised that institutions such as the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) were established to coordinate diaspora engagement but require stronger mandates, better funding and improved inter-agency collaboration to achieve their objectives.
He also called for more transparent and consistent diaspora bond issuances to build trust and mobilise long-term capital for infrastructure and housing.
While acknowledging the enormous potential of diaspora engagement, Kolawole identified major obstacles, including trust deficits, governance concerns, bureaucratic bottlenecks, regulatory hurdles and fragmentation within diaspora communities.
He warned that corruption, policy inconsistency and insecurity continue to discourage many Nigerians abroad from investing or returning home.
To address these challenges, he proposed a multi-pillar framework anchored on improved governance, clear diaspora policies, strengthened institutions, tailored engagement programmes for different diaspora segments and the strategic use of digital technology.
He urged federal and state governments to simplify business processes, expand e-governance, enhance embassy services and advance discussions on diaspora voting and political participation.
Kolawole also called on the private sector to develop diaspora-oriented financial products, including mortgages, insurance and SME investment platforms, while encouraging diaspora organisations to strengthen transparency, coordination and long-term planning.
He concluded that diaspora engagement is not a substitute for sound domestic policy but a complementary pillar of national development.
“With the right enabling environment, Nigerians abroad can become co-architects of the country’s future investing capital, transferring knowledge, advocating reforms and supporting inclusive growth,” he said.
According to him, unlocking this potential will require deliberate action, institutional reform and mutual accountability between Nigeria and its global citizens.
“If these conditions are met, the diaspora can help reshape Nigeria’s development trajectory and rewrite its global narrative as a nation defined not only by its challenges, but by resilience, innovation and opportunity.”
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