Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians in the diaspora not to abandon the country, but be active in her post-COVID-19 economic recovery efforts.
He gave the charge at the 2020 National Diaspora Day Celebration, organized by Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) with the theme, “Leveraging Diaspora Resources for National Development in the COVID-19 Era.”
He commended the enormous contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
He noted that over the past three years, diaspora Nigerians have brought in over $25 billion as home remittances into the Nigerian economy annually through official and non-formal channels.
“This is about 6.0 per cent of our GDP and upwards of 80 per cent of our annual budget. This has impacted on the livelihoods of Nigerians in terms of education, health, housing and estate development, industry, trade and investments, agriculture and technology/skills transfer.
“In terms of diaspora home remittances, Nigeria is rated as number one in Sub-Saharan Africa and this is still growing especially with the advocacy and mobilization programmes of the newly established Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM.
In her remarks, the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, noted that the 15th Diaspora Day marked the second one to be organized by NiDCOM.
She said interactions via webinar were meant to mobilize Nigerians in the diaspora to key into some of the programmes and chart improved or better ways on how to achieve them.