Nigeria Appreciates You, Says FG As NIDCOM Honours Outstanding Diasporans
The Federal Government has expressed profound appreciation to Nigerians in the Diaspora for their commitment to national development, declaring that their expertise, investments, humanitarian service and continued engagement remain critical to the country’s growth and prosperity.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, stated this during the Fourth National Diaspora Merit Award Ceremony, organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The event, which marked the grand finale of the 2026 National Diaspora Day Celebrations, also celebrated the remarkable success of the Nigeria Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (DHII) 2026, a collaboration between NiDCOM and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare that mobilised hundreds of Nigerian healthcare professionals from across the world to provide specialist medical services, perform life-saving surgeries, train healthcare workers and strengthen healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
Salako described the commitment and sacrifices of the diaspora medical professionals as “a vote of confidence in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a demonstration of enduring faith in Nigeria.”
According to the Minister, Nigerian doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Germany and other countries voluntarily returned home to deploy their knowledge, expertise and resources in support of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
He disclosed that through the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative, more than 1,000 frontline healthcare workers received specialist training in maternal and child healthcare across Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto States, while hundreds of complex surgeries, specialist consultations and advanced medical procedures were successfully carried out in several states by diaspora medical teams.
The Minister also highlighted the contributions of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), the Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG), the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD), the Nigerian Medical Association Germany, the Nigerian Doctors Forum South Africa, the Nigerian Association of Medical Doctors in Australia (NAMDA), the Concerned Medics Foundation and other diaspora medical organisations, describing their interventions as transformational.
“On behalf of the Federal Government, I say thank you. Nigeria appreciates your commitment, your sacrifices and your investments. Your service is helping to strengthen our healthcare system and improve the lives of millions of Nigerians,” he said.
Salako commended the Chairman/CEO NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and her team for initiating the Nigeria Diaspora Health Impact Initiative in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
He further acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his personal support and endorsement of the initiative, assuring diaspora professionals that the Federal Government is working to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks relating to registration, licensing and logistics to make it easier for them to contribute their expertise whenever they return home.
In her remarks, Dabiri-Erewa, applauded the Nigerian healthcare professionals who participated in the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative, describing them as true ambassadors whose service exemplifies patriotism in action.
She urged them to continue giving back to their country, declaring:
“Never stop coming home. Nigeria needs you, and you need Nigeria.”
The NiDCOM Chairman said their contributions echoed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent appeal to Nigerian doctors and healthcare professionals abroad to return home and lend their expertise to the ongoing transformation of Nigeria’s healthcare sector under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Earlier, the Secretary to the Commission, Engr. (Dr.) Sule Yakubu Bassi, highlighted NiDCOM’s achievements since its establishment in 2017, noting that the Commission has continued to implement programmes that deepen diaspora engagement through the National Diaspora Policy, the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS), the Diaspora Data Mapping Portal, Presidential Diaspora Town Hall Meetings, the proposed Nigeria Diaspora Investment Trust Fund (NDITF), the Diaspora Mortgage Scheme and the annual National Diaspora Day celebrations.
He noted that diaspora remittances remain one of Nigeria’s largest sources of foreign exchange and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to transforming the nation’s brain drain into brain gain through strategic engagement with Nigerians abroad.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Abiodun Akanbi, described the National Diaspora Merit Awards as a celebration of excellence, patriotism and the enduring bond between Nigeria and its global diaspora community.
He said the awards recognise Nigerians abroad whose achievements, leadership, philanthropy, innovation and professional excellence continue to enhance Nigeria’s image globally while contributing meaningfully to national development.
The Commission expressed profound appreciation to all partners and stakeholders whose collaboration contributed to the success of the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebrations.
