Vice-President Kashim Shettima has assured Nigerians in the Diaspora of active participation in the policies and programmes of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aimed at placing the country in its rightful position among the comity of nations.
Shettima gave the assurance during a meeting with members of the Nigerian community in the United States on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
He urged Nigerians abroad to remain confident in their home country, stressing that the reforms being implemented under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda were already setting Nigeria on a path of progress.
“Each one of you has value addition capabilities in your own way, and your experience is not something you can buy in the market. You have earned it,” Shettima said.
“Continue to believe in Nigeria. Nigeria is on the right track. In the fullness of time, we will occupy our rightful place in the comity of nations,” he added.
The Vice-President praised Nigerians in the Diaspora for their resilience and faith in the current administration, noting that their skills and expertise could play a vital role in the country’s transformation efforts.
According to him, the nation’s economic growth indicators reflected the impact of Tinubu’s policies. “Our foreign reserve is crossing the $40 billion mark, the sub-nationals are raking in trillions of naira, and we are seeing unprecedented infrastructural investment across the entire country. We are investing in the Nigerian youth and students as is the case with NELFUND,” he said.
Earlier, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, introduced some Nigerians making waves abroad to the Vice-President. She noted that the Tinubu administration had given top priority to Diaspora matters.
“Under this administration, it is easier for you to get your passport. Also, the non-resident Bank Verification Number (BVN) is now working. You don’t need to come home to get your BVN, and a lot of investment opportunities are now open and available. Most importantly, the economy is being transformed, and Nigeria is now a good place to invest,” she said.
At the meeting, some Diaspora Nigerians expressed readiness to invest in areas including mining, healthcare, artificial intelligence, fintech, the creative industry, and agriculture. They also commended the government’s ongoing efforts at improving the ease of doing business.
Those who spoke included Amazon AI Engineer Adebimpe Daniels, Healthcare Specialist Saratu Garba, and Idoni Matthew, among others.
