Shettima assures Nigerians in diaspora of robust engagement under Tinubu

By Kunle Sanni –

Vice President Kashim Shettima has reassured Nigerians living abroad that the Tinubu administration is committed to strengthening engagement with the diaspora community to position Nigeria more prominently on the global stage.

Speaking at a meeting with Nigerians in the United States on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Shettima urged the diaspora to continue believing in the country, stressing that the ongoing reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda are already yielding positive results.

“Continue to believe in Nigeria. Nigeria is on the right track. In the fullness of time, we will occupy our rightful place in the community of nations,” Shettima said.

The Vice President highlighted key achievements of the administration, including foreign reserves nearing $40 billion, increased revenue for subnational governments, unprecedented infrastructure investment, and new initiatives targeted at youth and students, such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

On behalf of President Tinubu, Shettima commended Nigerians abroad for their resilience and contributions to national development, noting that their skills and experiences remain vital to Nigeria’s transformation drive.

Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, also praised recent reforms making it easier for Nigerians abroad to access essential services such as passports and non-resident Bank Verification Numbers (BVN). She emphasized that the government is creating more investment opportunities and positioning Nigeria as a stronger destination for diaspora-led investments.

Several participants at the meeting expressed readiness to invest in Nigeria across sectors such as mining, healthcare, artificial intelligence, fintech, the creative industry, and agriculture. Among them were Amazon AI Engineer Adebimpe Daniels, healthcare specialist Saratu Garba, and entrepreneur Idoni Matthew.

Shettima, who arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, after his engagements in the U.S., pledged to deepen dialogue with Nigerians overseas in the coming months.