President Bola Tinubu on Friday announced plans to build a permanent institutional structure for engaging Nigerian doctors working abroad, signalling government commitment to tapping diaspora medical expertise. The National Assembly separately pledged to back legislation supporting the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (DHII) and renewed calls for diaspora voting rights.
The pledges came during the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebration at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Officials, lawmakers, healthcare workers and diaspora groups agreed that Nigeria's medical professionals overseas represent a critical resource for tackling the nation's healthcare challenges.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) organised the event under the theme "Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development."
Tinubu urged Nigerian doctors, nurses, researchers, scientists and public health experts abroad to deepen their involvement in overhauling Nigeria's healthcare sector. He promised the Federal Government would establish mechanisms to leverage their skills, capital and fresh ideas.
"Our diaspora is a source of national pride," Tinubu said. "Across the world, Nigerian doctors, nurses and public health leaders are saving lives, advancing science and shaping global healthcare."
The president stressed that government would celebrate diaspora achievements while supporting their ties to home. He commended NiDCOM chair Abike Dabiri-Erewa for strengthening connections between Nigeria and its citizens scattered globally.
Tinubu highlighted the DHII, run jointly by NiDCOM and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, as a vital effort mobilising diaspora healthcare workers to boost medical services back home. He acknowledged contributions from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG-UK) and the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA).
The president also named the Nigerian Medical Association Germany, the Nigerian-Australian Medical and Dental Association, the Concerned Medics Foundation UK, the Nigerian Doctors Forum South Africa and the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists. He recognised nursing organisations across North America and the United Kingdom.
Other partners Tinubu recognised included the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), state governments, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, private firms and development organisations running medical missions across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones.
The president noted that flagship NiDCOM programmes—including the National Diaspora Day celebration, National Diaspora Merit Awards, Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit, Diaspora Data Mapping Scheme, Youth Empowerment Summit and the Badagry Door of Return initiative—had deepened Nigeria's links with its worldwide citizens.
