Nigeria’s Diaspora Remittances Hit $21b

A total of $21 billion was remitted to the country by Nigerians in Diaspora in the last one year, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, has said.

Lawal who spoke during the 2016 Diaspora Day press briefing yesterday, said the Federal Government has approved waivers for drugs, roofing sheets, and other items imported by Nigerians in Diaspora to aid Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), for youth empowerment and enterprises development.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political Affairs, SGF Office, Olakunle Bamgbose, Lawal said the Federal Government is partnering Nigerians in Diaspora so as to meet the needs of IDPs in the country.

He said the Federal Government will only partner with Nigerians in Diaspora who are coming with solutions and are ready to contribute to national development.

He said: “This year’s conference will take a complete departure from our past experiences, when our nationals come home only to highlight the challenges that confront our nation.”

“The government and citizens of Nigeria at home are not ignorant of challenges as a nation. What our nation requires are solutions to specific problems.”

“This year’s conference, in essence, will focus on obtaining firm commitments from Nigerians in Diaspora, directed at solving some of our national challenges.”

“This administration is ready to partner with Nigerians in Diaspora on how they can assist IDPs in the Northeast on how through medical interventions, they can improve healthcare delivery across the country and on how they can assist government in youth empowerment and employment generation.”

He said government has received commitments from Nigerians in line with the new thinking, saying we intend to obtain more commitments during the conference and as a follow-up to ensure that such commitments are redeemed.

Lawal, said this year’s conference would be declared open by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.