Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians in the diaspora to invest in the country.
He said their contribution is critical to sustainable growth and development.
He spoke yesterday in Abuja at the eighth Nigerians in Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS).
Shettima said what Nigeria needs from its citizens abroad is not only their physical presence but their economic participation.
The three-day summit has the theme: “Fast-tracking regional and national development by mobilising diaspora investment.”
It brought together government officials, investors, and entrepreneurs to harness diaspora capital for national growth.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Umar Dunoma Ahmed, the Vice President, identified roads, start-ups, and infrastructure as viable areas for investment.
“To our brothers and sisters in the diaspora, I extend a heartfelt call: Come home, not only physically but economically. Invest in our roads, our start-ups, and our people.
“Your expertise and resources are indispensable to our national development project,” he said.
Shettima said the NDIS aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration aimed at attracting investment, creating jobs, and building human capital.
He commended the organisers for consistently mobilising diaspora investment into Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), describing them as “the true backbone of our economy.”
“To our MSMEs: you are the pulse of our economy. We are building the systems you need to grow.
“Our government will provide leadership and a stable environment, including security of lives, property, and investment. But it is your participation and innovation that will drive us forward,” he added.
As part of efforts to encourage diaspora participation, Shettima announced that the government would soon award non-repayable grants to outstanding MSMEs across the federation.
He urged diaspora investors to use the summit as a launchpad for bold action, saying:
“Turn your vision into value. To our business pitchers, this is your time to move with courage, fuelled by your dreams and convictions. Be fearless; Nigeria is ready for innovation, and this government stands ready to partner with you.”
Shettima said the administration was also prioritising youth entrepreneurship through the Expanded National MSME Clinics and Digital Innovation Hubs to support start-ups and drive technology-led growth.
Alake: $1.3bn mining investment recorded
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, said the Tinubu administration’s diversification policy had attracted over $1.3 billion in mining investments within one year.
He said more than 3,000 inactive mining licences had been revoked to sanitise the sector and encourage credible investors, adding that new applicants must present plans for local mineral processing before approval.
Alake said Nigeria’s vast mineral resources, including lithium, gold, and nickel, were being repositioned for both export and industrial use.
“Our goal is to ensure that value addition happens within Nigeria so we export finished products, not raw materials,” he said.
He added that the government was finalising a Solid Minerals Development Roadmap to create an end-to-end system for exploration, mining, and processing, and invited diaspora investors to partner in building refineries, training institutions, and logistics infrastructure.
“Mining is the new oil,” Alake declared. “And we are determined to make it a sustainable pillar of the Nigerian economy.”
Promote Nigeria’s image, Idris urges citizens
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, urged Nigerians to promote a positive image of the country, warning that “no dollar will come into a nation people speak ill of.”
He said Nigeria’s recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list demonstrated the administration’s credibility and growing international confidence.
“It shows that reforms are working and that Nigeria is now seen as a responsible, transparent partner in global trade,” he said.
Idris said promoting Nigeria’s image was a collective duty.
“Every Nigerian is an ambassador. The way we talk about our country affects how investors perceive us,” he noted.
He assured that the government would continue to engage the diaspora through structured public diplomacy and digital outreach to share “real progress across sectors, not propaganda.”
NiDCOM: $25b remittances in 2024
Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said Nigerians abroad remain one of the nation’s greatest assets, contributing $25 billion in remittances in 2024, the highest in Africa.
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She said the goal is to look beyond remittances and channel diaspora capital and expertise into sustainable investments that create jobs and drive inclusive growth.
Dabiri-Erewa noted that through the NDIS platform, several projects in real estate, agriculture, renewable energy, and ICT have received direct diaspora funding.
She also announced plans for a Diaspora Investment Trust Fund to pool resources for large-scale ventures in collaboration with the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“We are committed to making every Nigerian abroad feel safe and proud to invest back home,” she said.
NDIS: Linking strengths with opportunities
Chairman of the NDIS Local Organising Committee, Dr. Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, said the summit, now in its eighth year, has evolved into a platform where ideas become reality and diaspora investors connect with credible ventures.
“The NDIS is not just an event — it is a movement built on a shared purpose of nation building,” she said.
She urged the diaspora community and local entrepreneurs to collaborate for national progress, adding:
“The diaspora has a role; those of us at home have a role; and the government must continue to create an enabling business environment. When each of us does our part, progress will come faster and endure longer.”
