President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said Nigeria ranks among the top ten, globally in ratings of countries with the most immigrants citizens.
He said 169 million international migrant workers left their countries of origin primarily to seek work, “with Nigeria having a significant diaspora population.
While backing these figures from the United Nations, the Nigerian President also said the increased number of Nigerian citizens living abroad, should be seen as an advantage in contributing to the country’s development, something he said is important.
Tinubu spoke on Thursday, July 25, in Abuja at the opening of the 2024 National Diaspora Day Celebrations, with the theme “Japa Phenomena and its Implications for National Development.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, President Tinubu highlighted the historical context of migration, from the transatlantic slave trade to the current global mobility competing for talent and skills.
He added that such initiatives like the Nigerian Diaspora Commission and presidential town hall meetings with diaspora communities, as some of the programmes should be aimed at engaging the diaspora in national development.
The President acknowledged the positive effects of global immigration, including huge remittances of funds to middle-income countries, with Nigeria receiving $21.9 billion in 2023.
While commending the Central Bank’s reforms, which have increased Forex officiate channels and stabilised the currency he encouraged Nigerians living outside the country to continue supporting critical sectors of the country’s economy.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, revealed that Nigerians in Diaspora remitted about $100 billion from diaspora remittances in the last five years.
Dabiri-Erewa said the contribution of the Diaspora community to national development cannot be over-emphasised.
No fewer than 1,000 participants are expected at the 2-day 2024 diaspora day celebrations.
“Let me also state that the contributions of the Diaspora community to national development cannot be over-emphasized, she said.
“According to the World Bank statistics recently, the Nigerian Diaspora has remitted over 99 billion US dollars into the system in the last five years. This is huge and highly commendable”, she added.