The year 2025 began with promises of better life for Nigerians as President Bola Tinubu pledged to drive economic growth and development through his policies.
In a nationwide broadcast on Wednesday, Tinubu reiterated his administration’s plans to improve food production and promote local manufacturing of medical supplies in 2025.
However, Nigerians in diaspora called for concrete actions and interventions to tackle the country’s pressing challenges.
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, some professionals and leaders of Nigerian communities abroad demanded pragmatic steps to make life meaningful for those at home and in diaspora.
Borrow Obasanjo’s GSM idea for healthcare
A popular medical doctor in Calgary, Canada, Dr Arinze Onwumelu, urged the Tinubu administration to borrow a leaf from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s book in solving telephone headaches for Nigerians through the Global System for Mobile Communications.
In his first tenure in office as president, Obasanjo’s policies attracted Econet Wireless (now Airtel) to commence operations for GSM services in Nigeria, followed by MTN, NITEL, Globalcom, and Etisalat.
Onwumelu said this idea could be replicated to fix the healthcare system in the country, which would attract medical experts to build state-of-the-art hospitals in Nigeria, adding that the Federal Government should provide security and lands needed, among other incentives.
“This is not far-fetched because I have been to Europe, North-America, and I used to travel to Asia many times. If I were the health minister, the only thing to do is to connect to Nigerians in diaspora,” the Canada-based physician said.
“We have the capacities, skills, and expertise as medical experts abroad to set up in Nigeria but limitations are stopping us. For every medical doctor doing well in Nigeria, there are probably a hundred of them abroad.
“The government should just implement some favourable policies that will make experts invest back home just like what Obasanjo did with GSM when NITEL was not performing.”
He said Nigerians were ready to pay for good health services if available in Nigeria, instead of travelling to India and other developed countries.
“If there is security, free land to build, and other facilities, the world will come to Nigeria for medical tourism. There will be more hospitals even in the villages,” Onwumelu added.
Bring education reform for national devt
A Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, England, Dr Oyedele Ogundana, asked the government to invest in education which would bolster national development.
He also emphasised opportunities for investment by improving security, infrastructure, and economic stability.
“I would love the government to prioritise national unity, healthcare, and education reform to attract our expertise for an increased support of national development,” Ogundana said.
The accounting and finance scholar said Nigerians abroad were desirous of more inclusive policies, and better consular services, as well as transparency in governance, anti-corruption measures, and electoral reforms.
“As a lecturer, I expect increased funding for education, infrastructural upgrades in schools and universities, enhanced teacher training, research grants, and better welfare packages for educators to boost quality and global competitiveness,” the lecturer said.
Diaspora voting, retention of skilled workers
The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in September 2024, said Nigerian nationals abroad contributed $20bn to the country’s Gross Domestic Product annually.
Dabiri-Erewa disclosed this during her presentation at the African Diaspora Day on the Hill, held at the US Capitol as part of the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC.
The President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Doris Ikeri-Solarin, asserted that since Nigerians in diaspora contributed such a huge amount to the GDP, they should be given the platform to vote during elections.
Ikeri-Solarin said, “What Nigerians abroad will like is diaspora voting. Let the voice of every Nigerian in the diaspora count. We contribute immensely to the GDP, so let us also have a say in decision making politically, and economically, let us be relevant in our country.”
She also called on the Federal government to intervene for Nigerians living in South Africa to get justice over persistent police brutality and xenophobic attacks.
“The government’s intervention is critical for Nigerians to be treated with the dignity they deserve. We should also be treated fairly in this country because we contribute to the economic development of South Africa,” she added.
In his submission, the President of the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa, Frank Onyekwelu, urged the government to formulate and develop policies that would prevent brain drain.
“Developing more and improved means of retaining our skilled workers, career professionals, and experts will direct the minds and focus of more diasporans back home,” Onyekwelu said.
He added that granting diaspora voting on elections, making the voice of diasporans heard, and strengthening diplomatic ties, including implementing signed agreements and Memorandum of Understandings with various nations will give a colourful image to Nigeria and Nigerians in diaspora.
Unity of Nigerians
They, however, called on Nigerians at home to play their part by looking beyond ethnic and religious divides to build the country of their dream. They advocated synergy among Nigerians to address all major challenges.
“Nigerians at home should believe more in the greatness of our country, and work together with the present administration in advertising our locally manufactured products, goods, agriculture and commodities to strengthen our currency, improve and attract more foreign investments and circulate resources within communities and local governments,” Onyekwelu said.
Ikeri-Solarin added, “Nigerians at home must foster unity by prioritising community development and holding leaders accountable for governance.”
Address NIN problems
The President of the Nigerian community in Lebanon, Roland Aigbovbiosa, urged the Federal Government to address numerous national passport and National Identification Number challenges confronting Nigerian nationals abroad.
According to him, there was no NIN office in Lebanon as he stated that more than 2,000 Nigerians were without this means of identification.
“We want the government to help us in the renewal of our passports. We want improved services concerning passport issues and NIN,” he said.
“In the area of NIN, we have over 2,000 Nigerians in Lebanon. We don’t have a machine making NIN for people. So, if we are to make our passports, or renew our passports, it’s been very difficult here. You have to go home to go and make NIN. We want the government to help us in that area.”
The community leader further disclosed that many Nigerians in Lebanon were paid cash by their employers due to the lack of means of identification needed to operate bank accounts. He stated that there were also Internet problems.
Aigbovbiosa said, “Here, there is this online problem. Even making online payments here is not easy. A lot of people don’t have bank accounts or credit cards to make their payments.
“For one to have a bank account in Lebanon, your employer has to go to the bank with you to sign as a guarantor for you. Many employers are not interested in doing that for their employees.
“So, the contract between you and your employer is very different from what you have in other advanced countries.
“This place is a dead world. They have their own problems. They collect cash in hand but they pay in dollars anyway. That is the only good thing there.”
He enjoined the government to provide infrastructural facilities and promote initiatives that would attract both foreign investors and Nigerian youths abroad to develop Nigeria.