The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, has reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to boost diaspora engagement, formalize remittance flows, and address the challenges faced by Nigerians abroad.

?Ambassador Enikanolaiye made this pledge while receiving NIDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, alongside her management team during a courtesy visit to the Ministry in Abuja.

?The Minister anchored his remarks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 4D Foreign Policy framework—Demography, Democracy, and Diaspora—with Development serving as the core priority.

He stressed that foreign policy must deliver tangible benefits to citizens through job creation, infrastructure, healthcare, food security, and youth empowerment. Furthermore, he commended the Tinubu administration for visible successes in improving security, which he described as the crucial foundation for sustainable economic growth.

?On financial inflows, the Minister emphasized the necessity of building a structured system to transition diaspora remittances from informal networks to formal channels.

He urged the active involvement of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to partner with NIDCOM, noting that every state possesses a valuable diaspora population. He also advocated for increased technology exchange, encouraging deeper partnerships in health, education, housing, and agriculture.

?Highlighting successful citizen repatriations, particularly from South Africa, Ambassador Enikanolaiye praised the seamless coordination between Nigerian foreign missions, NIDCOM, and relevant government agencies.

He charged missions abroad to "double up" on citizen service delivery. To mitigate funding constraints and combat the "Japa syndrome," he revealed plans to explore alternative revenue streams, including leveraging properties across international missions and securing strategic private-sector partnerships.

?In her remarks, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa expressed gratitude for the Ministry’s continuous support since NIDCOM's inception.

While outlining core operational challenges such as funding and office space, she announced that the 4th Edition of the National Diaspora Merit Award will take place this year to celebrate outstanding global Nigerians.

She also highlighted progressive strides toward establishing a diaspora trust fund to facilitate direct investments at home.

?The meeting concluded with a mutual pledge to advance Nigeria’s interests, ensuring that the global diaspora community remains a vital engine for national development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.