Nigeria is ranked among the top 10 globally in the rating of countries with the most travelled citizens, President Bola Tinubu said.
Tinubu who quoted the United Nations for the figure, acknowledged the complexity and the scale of migration among Nigerians.
Tinubu spoke on Thursday, in Abuja at the opening of the 2024 National Diaspora Day Celebrations, with the theme “Japa Phenomena and its Implications for National Development.”
The president emphasised the significant contributions of Nigerian citizens living abroad to the country’s development.
Citing data, the president noted that 169 million international migrant workers left their countries of origin primarily to seek work, “with Nigeria having significant diaspora population.”
The President who was represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume also shared his personal experience, having lived in the United States before returning to Nigeria. He therefore encouraged Nigerians in the Diaspora to bring back their experiences to contribute to national development.
He highlighted the historical context of migration, from the transatlantic slave trade to the current global mobility competing for talent and skills. Speaking earlier, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, revealed that Nigerians in Diaspora remitted about $100 billion from diaspora remittances in the last five years.
Dabiri-Erewa said the contribution of the Diaspora community to national development cannot be over-emphasised.
