Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has said remittances from Nigerians in the Diaspora now stand at $20 billion despite the coronavirus pandemic in 2021.
She made this known at a press conference in Abuja to announce the 16th edition of the National Diaspora Day Celebration, Dabiri-Erewa.
The hybrid event scheduled to hold on July 25 in Abuja has the theme, “Diaspora engagement in global challenging times for national development.”
She said the contribution of Nigerians in Diaspora to the economy was too significant for them to be left out in key decision-making processes in the country.
Dabiri-Erewa noted that about 17 million Nigerians live in the Diaspora and this year’s theme was chosen to make the best use of the difficult times brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine-Russia War and national insecurity among others, to leveraging on Nigerians in the Diaspora for national development and growth.
The NIDCOM boss appealed to the National Assembly to review its stand on diaspora voting.
According to Dabiri-Erewa, the issue of diaspora voting is a tough one, adding that Nigerians can’t afford to give up now.
Members of the National Assembly had overwhelmingly voted against the Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for Diaspora Voting, and for Related Matters.
