Diaspora Nigerians, Stakeholders Seek Investment Opportunities Optimisation

The Nigerian Diaspora Summit Initiative (NDSI) in partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) have opened the fifth edition of the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS) in Abuja.

The annual event, which started on Tuesday, attracted Nigerians locally and globally from all walks of life to attend the hybrid investment Summit, a statement issued by Gabriel Odu of the Press, Public Relations and Protocol Unit of NIDCOM said.

Chairman/CEO NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, represented by secretary to the Commission, Dr. Sule Yakubu Bassi, stated that a greater degree of recognition should be accorded to the Diaspora Community, numbering over 17 million Nigerians, who have contributed over $20billion dollars in remittances to the economy in 2021.

Dabiri-Erewa maintained that the Diaspora engagement is not only demographic but also more of an economic factor towards national development which has translated to the Diaspora Direct Investment (DDI).

She remarked that the NDIS has over the years served as a linkage between entrepreneurs and investors, home and abroad, in major business specialisations which have successfully given rise to job opportunities, economic growth and more taxable income to the Federal Government.

The NiDCOM Boss said that the event is currently focused on the grassroots investment and sub-national levels because, “that is where the opportunities are for real. time investments.

She recalled that last year’s thematic focus was on Borno and Nassarawa States, while this year targets Ondo State and its plethora of viable businesses for investment.

The Coordinator of the Investment Sunmit, Dr. Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, said that the Summit for the fifth time running has birthed many success stories.

Williams maintained that such stories are possible because of the robust business policies, especially the presidential initiative on ease of doing business in Nigeria .

She commended Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for her innumerable support and hope for another productive engagement.

Founder, Nigerian Diaspora Direct Investment Summit (NDDIS) Mr. Bimbo Roberts Folayan, who joined virtually said that the Summit is a laudable project which has jointly engaged Nigerians home and abroad to develop keen attachment to the development of homeland, Nigeria.

Folayan added that trust should be a key factor in creating a conducive business environment.

The managing director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Mr. Haman Madu stated that with the Diaspora Housing packages available, he emphasised that trust and honesty are the twin investments portfolio needed to establish and sustain businesses as well as services by and for Nigerians in the Diaspora.