Nigeria Leads West Africa in Diaspora Remittances, VP Shettima Says

Vice President Kashim Shettima has highlighted Nigeria’s significant role in diaspora remittances, stating that the country leads West Africa with the highest remittances from its migrants. In 2022, Nigeria received $21.9 billion in diaspora remittances, accounting for 64% of all remittances in the region. This underscores the substantial economic contribution of Nigerian migrants globally. Additionally, Shettima praised Nigerian migrants as global ambassadors excelling in sectors like technology, medicine, sports, and the arts, with Nigerian startups founded by migrants attracting over $800 million in investments in 2022.

Shettima made these remarks during the 10th Annual National Migration Dialogue, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The theme of the event, “Beyond Borders: Celebrating Migrants’ Legacy, Protecting Their Rights,” focused on the dual importance of migration: its contributions to society and the need to protect migrant rights.

While acknowledging migration’s positive impacts, Shettima also addressed the ongoing challenges of irregular migration. He noted that in 2024 alone, around 10,000 Nigerians were repatriated for immigration violations from African and European countries. He stressed the need for coordinated efforts to address the vulnerabilities and challenges migrants face, while harnessing migration’s potential for national and global economic growth.

The Vice President reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to address migration issues. He pointed out that the Nigerian government is working within the framework of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM) to ensure that migration benefits all and migrant rights are safeguarded.

In his address, Shettima also emphasized several innovations aimed at addressing migration challenges, including the introduction of electronic gates at airports for quicker and more secure border processing, the rollout of e-passports, and enhanced online visa services. He highlighted the partnership with international organizations like the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in advancing migration governance.

Other speakers at the event included the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Hon. Tijani Aliyu Ahmed, and the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who both reinforced the need for effective migration policies and the importance of the diaspora in national development.

The dialogue also provided a platform to discuss solutions for reducing irregular migration and protecting migrants’ rights, with Nigeria set to assume the leadership of the Euro-African Dialogue on Migration and Development (the Rabat Process) from January 2025. This leadership opportunity is seen as an important step for Nigeria to further its role in global migration policy discussions.