By Olumide Akinrinlola
TORONTO, CANADA — The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has challenged citizens living abroad to transition from sending standard household remittances to injecting structured, long-term investments into the Nigerian economy.
Starnews NG reports that she delivered the charge during her welcome address at the opening of the maiden Nigeria Diaspora Economic Conference (NiDEC 2026), held in the Greater Toronto Area under the theme “Invest Nigeria; Thrive Abroad.”
Dabiri-Erewa made it clear that the federal government views the global diaspora community as an essential, high-impact pillar for national development, rather than a detached population.
“The Nigerian diaspora represents one of our country’s most valuable but underutilized economic assets,” Dabiri-Erewa stated. “This gathering is a critical, outcome-driven marketplace structured to deepen engagement with our citizens abroad, leveraging your vast capital, global networks, and technical expertise to accelerate national growth.”
The NiDCOM boss emphasised that the summit, organised in partnership with the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS) and international stakeholders, serves as a direct pipeline connecting diaspora professionals with verified, bankable opportunities back home.
A central focus of her keynote address was altering the traditional economic trajectory of diaspora funds. While acknowledging the immense financial support sent home to families, Dabiri-Erewa urged the community to redirect a significant portion of those inflows into active equity investments.
“We must collectively move beyond just sending remittances for daily consumption and instead focus on institutionalized investments,” she urged. “I challenge every participant here today to invest in at least one concrete project back in Nigeria, support our growing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and actively mentor the next generation of young entrepreneurs.”
Reassuring the audience of the federal government’s political will, Starnews NG writes that the NiDCOM chief highlighted that the multi-sectoral overhauls introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are intentionally built to create an investment-friendly environment.
She explained that policy adjustments are systematically dismantling regulatory bottlenecks, securing capital repatriation pathways, and guaranteeing transparency for international partners. The conference sessions highlighted critical sectors primed for immediate diaspora partnership, including:
- Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs): Providing capital to scale up local businesses and production.
- Infrastructure, Healthcare, & Education: Directly contributing to fundamental grassroots national development.
- Technology & Innovation: Partnering with tech hubs to scale Nigeria’s booming digital enterprise.
Concluding her remarks, Dabiri-Erewa affirmed that the era of mere discussions has passed, giving way to immediate, actionable execution.
“The opportunity to invest in Nigeria is right now because the country is fully open for business,” she declared. “We urge you to combine your remarkable success here in your host countries with meaningful, lasting contributions that will safeguard the future of your homeland.”
The four-day economic summit has moved its interactive sessions, business matching, and corporate exhibitions to the Apollo Convention Centre in Mississauga, drawing heavy attendance from state governors, cabinet ministers, and global financial institutional leaders.
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