The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has commended the media for amplifying the impact of the Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS), describing their engagement as vital to the summit’s success.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, gave the commendation in Abuja during a press conference to announce the 8th edition of the 2025 NDIS.
According to the chairman, the summit, organised by NiDCOM in partnership with the Nigeria Diaspora Summit Initiative (NDSI), is scheduled to hold from Nov. 11 to 13 with the theme “Fast-Tracking Regional and National Development by Mobilising Diaspora Investment.”
She praised Nigerians in the diaspora who have excelled in education, business, healthcare, technology, sports, and the creative industries, noting that their true impact lies in how they channel their skills, resources, and networks back home to foster development.
“We cannot but recognise and acknowledge the vital role of the media in amplifying the impact of NDIS.
Through your coverage, success stories from the Summit have reached and will continue to inspire Nigerians worldwide, strengthening the bridge between the diaspora and homeland,” she said.
Dabiri-Erewa added that the 2025 NDIS would be another transformative edition, offering practical solutions, meaningful networking, and actionable investment opportunities.
She urged the media to continue promoting the message that Nigeria offers profitable and secure business opportunities and is ready for sustained investment.
The NiDCOM chief noted that since its inception in 2018, the Summit had served as a trusted platform for diaspora investors to connect directly with local businesses, creating jobs and opportunities nationwide.
“What makes NDIS unique is not only the opportunities it generates, but the trust it inspires.
With the active involvement of key government agencies and regulators, diaspora investors are assured that their investments are shielded and their engagements are structured, credible, and aligned with Nigeria’s national development priorities,” she added.
She said the 2024 edition attracted over 1,500 participants both online and physically, including 236 investors, 1,197 business owners, and 168 government officials.
According to her, a total of 56 business pitches were presented across eight key sectors, resulting in about 168 deals worth approximately N673 million.
Dabiri-Erewa further announced that President Bola Tinubu would serve as the Special Guest of Honour at the 2025 Summit, which would also feature business leaders, diaspora investors, policy advocates, and creative icons.
She encouraged interested participants to visit www.ndisng.com for registration and further details.
In her remarks, Dr Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, Chairperson of NDSI, highlighted the media’s contributions to the success of previous summits, noting that several states had benefitted from active participation.
She cited Borno, Nasarawa, and Ondo states as examples, adding that Ondo State leveraged the 2021 and 2022 summits to attract support for its port development project, which later received Federal Government approval.
“These outcomes show that NDIS is more than a conference; it is a catalyst for enterprise and sustainable partnership,” she said.
Adejugbe-Williams also disclosed that the Summit had contributed over N500 million to Nigeria’s local economy through engagement of service providers, creatives, and SMEs since inception.
She said the 2025 edition would continue to spotlight critical sectors such as finance and fintech, ICT, creative industries, sports, entertainment, agribusiness, healthcare, education, real estate, infrastructure, manufacturing, and energy.
(NAN)