Shettima calls on Nigerians in diaspora to invest in Nigeria’s infrastructure

Vice President Kashim Shettima has appealed to Nigerians in the Diaspora to invest in the nation’s infrastructure, small businesses, and human capital development.

The Vice President, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, made the appeal during the opening of the 8th Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS) in Abuja.

Shettima said the Tinubu administration was creating a business environment that would enable diaspora investments to thrive under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The three-day summit, themed, “Fast-Tracking Regional and National Development by Mobilising Diaspora Investment”, gathered an assemblage of government officials, investors, and entrepreneurs with the aim of mobilising diaspora capital for national growth.

Shettima added that the platform of the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit aligns perfectly with Tinubu’s administration’s objectives of attracting investment, creating jobs, and building human capital.

He said: “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 startups, and our people.”

He stressed that the administration’s focus on transparency, accountability, and policy consistency was meant to restore investor confidence, stating that: “We understand that investors, especially those in the diaspora, need assurance of stability, safety, and returns. This government is resolute in providing all three.”

Shettima added that the government’s reforms in the financial sector, particularly the unification of foreign exchange rates and the removal of fuel subsidies, were already yielding results that would, in time, strengthen the investment climate. “Difficult decisions are being made for sustainable growth. We are laying a foundation for a Nigeria that works — not just for today, but for generations to come,” he said.

The Vice President also disclosed that the administration was prioritising youth entrepreneurship through initiatives like the Expanded National MSME Clinics and Digital Innovation Hubs, aimed at supporting startups and fostering technology-driven growth, stating that: “We are building an economy where innovation thrives, where young Nigerians at home and abroad can transform ideas into industries,” he noted.

He also assured that security challenges were being addressed through intelligence-driven operations and regional collaboration, stating that “a secure nation is a prosperous nation, and every investment thrives best in peace.”

Speaking earlier, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, said the diversification policy of the Tinubu administration had brought in over $1.3 billion in mining investments within a year.

He said over 3,000 inactive licenses had been revoked to clean up the sector and encourage credible investors, adding that new applicants must now show plans for local mineral processing before getting approvals.

The Minister explained that Nigeria’s vast mineral resources, including lithium, gold, and nickel, were now being repositioned for export and industrial use. “Our aim is to ensure that value addition happens within Nigeria, so that we export finished products, not raw materials,” Alake said.

He said the government was finalising a Solid Minerals Development Roadmap, which would create an end-to-end system for exploration, mining, and processing. He said partnerships with diaspora professionals and investors were welcome in building refineries, training institutions, and logistics infrastructure for the mining sector.

“Mining is the new oil,” Alake declared. “And we are determined to ensure it becomes a sustainable pillar of the Nigerian economy.”

In his part, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, urged Nigerians to promote a positive image of their country, noting that “no dollar will come into a country people speak ill of.”

He said Nigeria’s recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list was proof of the administration’s credibility and the growing confidence of the international community. “It shows that reforms are working, and that Nigeria is now seen as a responsible, transparent partner in global trade,” he added.

Idris noted that image-building was not just the responsibility of government but a collective duty of all citizens, including those abroad. “Every Nigerian is an ambassador. The way we talk about our country affects how investors perceive us,” he said.

He also reaffirmed the government’s resolve to strengthen communication channels with the diaspora through structured public diplomacy and digital engagement. “We will continue to tell Nigeria’s success stories — not propaganda, but the real progress being achieved across sectors,” he assured.

On her part, the NiDCOM Chairman, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said Nigerians abroad remained one of the country’s greatest assets, contributing $25 billion in remittances in 2024, the highest in Africa.

She revealed that: “Our goal is to look beyond remittances and channel this capital, expertise, and goodwill into sustainable investments that create jobs and drive inclusive growth.”

Dabiri-Erewa explained that the Diaspora Investment Summit had become a catalyst for partnership between state governments, private investors, and the Nigerian diaspora.

She said: “Through this platform, several projects — from real estate to agriculture, renewable energy, and ICT — have received direct diaspora fundings,,” stressing that the Commission was developing a Diaspora Investment Trust Fund to pool resources for large-scale ventures, while also working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Central Bank of Nigeria to streamline remittance channels and protect investors.

She said: “We are committed to making every Nigerian abroad feel safe and proud to invest back home.”

She praised the resilience of Nigerians in the diaspora, describing them as “ambassadors of excellence” who continue to make global impact “from healthcare to technology and academia, Nigerians abroad have distinguished themselves, and we must harness that energy for national transformation.”