Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), disclosed that Nigerians living abroad spent approximately ₦60 billion during their visits to the country in December 2024.
Speaking during the 2025 budget defense session before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Diaspora in Abuja, Dabiri-Erewa also highlighted that remittances from the diaspora have exceeded $90 billion over the last five years, underscoring the critical economic contributions of Nigerians abroad.
“You know, we have reached a stage where in the last five years, where we have shown that the diaspora is a powerful force and resource we cannot ignore.
“And, you know, they are the number one ambassadors of our country. They will help us change the narrative of our country.
And in fact, all over the world, everybody now wants to have a Nigerian as a friend. So let’s seize the moment. We can take over the world, and we will.
“President Bola Tinubu has brought in reforms that everybody should support. Tackling insecurity, building infrastructure,, taking the hard decisions that will make Nigeria a better place.
“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.