The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, on Friday called on Nigerians in the Diaspora to key into the federal government’s investment opportunities.
Adebayo spoke through virtuals at the 3rd Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit convened by the Nigeria Diaspora Summit Initiative (NDSI) in collaboration with Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
The summit has: “Post-Covid economy resurgence: targeting diaspora investment,” as its theme.
The minister also urged Nigerians to take advantage of the investment opportunities in the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) to help put the nation’s economy in good shape.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in her address, said the Commission was committed to ensuring that Nigerians in the Diaspora experienced ease of doing business.
“The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission are doing a lot to ensure that the Nigerians in Diaspora are experiencing the ease of doing business. The creation of State Diaspora Focal Point Officers and offices is to decentralise access to Diaspora and link them directly with their State.
“This, if I must tell you, is yielding success as some states are providing land for Diasporans to come and invest and own property,” she said.
Dabiri-Erewa also disclosed that National Diaspora Policy was awaiting the final approval of the Federal Executive Council, saying that the document would play an important role in the actualisation of the mandate in the Act establishing the Commission.
“I would like to also inform you that the National Diaspora Policy is at the Federal Executive Council for final approval. This document will play an important role in actualisation of the mandate in the Act establishing the Commission.”
The coordinator of the summit, Dr. Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, said Nigerians in the Diaspora were assets to Nigeria with their resources, skills and talents.
“There is no doubt, therefore, that our Nigerians in the Diaspora are assets to their host countries and Nigeria in terms of their resources, skills and talents. The engagement of Nigerians in the Diaspora in resurging the economy is more pertinent now as the post Covid-19 economy recovery plan requires global best practices for which the Diaspora are best suited,” she said.
