The Chairperson/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has thrown her weight behind the Ota Investment Summit and Trade Fair, seeking the support of Nigerians in Diaspora in the development initiatives at home.

The NIDCOM’s CEO, who stated this at the Inaugural 3-day Ota Investment Summit and Fair, held in Ota, Ogun State, (August 12 to 14, 2025), themed Industrial Revolution: Potential and Opportunities from Ota to the Rest of the World, said that Nigerians in diaspora have role to play in Nigeria’s expanding industrial sector.

Represented by Mr. Dipo Odebowale, Head of NIDCOM’s Lagos Office, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa emphasized that ‘the true power lies in diaspora investment, knowledge transfer, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Diaspora Nigerians are doctors, engineers, financiers, creatives, and entrepreneurs. They are making significant contributions in their host countries, and increasingly, they are eager to give back to their homeland, not only emotionally but also economically.

She stated: ‘Imagine channeling diaspora capital into agro-processing plants, tech hubs, manufacturing clusters, logistics, and export-driven enterprises right here in Ota. This is not only possible but also necessary for Nigeria’s next phase of industrialization.

According to her, the Summit complements NIDCOM’s ongoing engagements with Nigerians in the diaspora, encouraging them to invest back home and contribute to the nation’s growth.

The NIDCOM’s CEO added: ‘The Nigerian Diaspora is not just a community abroad. It is an economic force. Our diaspora contributes over $20 billion annually through remittances alone, which is nearly 6% of Nigeria’s GDP. But remittances are just the tip of the iceberg.

‘This summit couldn’t have come at a better time as Nigeria is going through a renewal process by looking for ways to diversify the economy from the Oil Sector to the Non-Oil Sector, driven by diversification efforts, inflow of Nigeria, and by extension Ota, and mobilise resources for Foreign Direct Investment investments from the diaspora. Hence, the need to harness the opportunities from this summit to develop Africa, investment’.

Hon. Dabiri-Erewa described the summit as both timely and thoughtfully organised, aligning perfectly with the Federal Government’s drive for economic transformation.

She added that infrastructural development will play a pivotal role in achieving the targets set by the summit, noting that she is confident President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is already thinking along the same lines in his national development agenda.

In his remarks, the Olota of Ota, Professor Adeyemi Obalanlege, commended Hon. Dabiri-Erewa for her unwavering commitment to the welfare and active engagement of Nigerians living abroad. He lauded NIDCOM’s excellent track record in protecting diaspora interests and assured that the people of Otta would continue to mobilise efforts to sustain the city’s standing as a leading industrial hub for national economic viability.