The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has assured Nigerians in the Diaspora of robust engagement in the policies and programmes of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with a view to positioning Nigeria in its rightful place among the community of nations.
He urged Nigerians overseas to keep believing in their home nation, saying the country is on the right track under President Tinubu’s watch.
The Vice President, who spoke during a meeting with members of the Nigerian community in the United States on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, said Nigeria is on the right path with the reforms being undertaken by President Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
On behalf of President Tinubu, the VP commended Nigerians in diaspora for their resilience and belief in the current Nigerian government, acknowledging their capacity to add value to the country’s transformation efforts.
He said, “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart but I will have to come back to the US again and have a more robust engagement with you. Each one of you has value addition capabilities in your own way, and your experience is not something you can buy in the market. You have earned it.
”Continue to believe in Nigeria. Nigeria is on the right track. In the fullness of time, we will occupy our rightful place in the community of nations.”
The Vice President told the Nigerian community in the United States as well as others across the world to be proud of their heritage, noting that Nigeria’s positive developmental indices in all spheres is a reflection of well-thought-out policies of the Tinubu administration.
”Our foreign reserve is crossing the $40 billion mark, the sub nationals are raking in trillions of naira and we are seeing unprecedented infrastructural investment across the entire country. We’re investing in the Nigerian youth and students as is the case with NELFUND,” he stated.
Earlier, Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, introduced some Nigerians who are recording giant strides abroad to the Vice President, stressing that under the Tinubu administration, the issue of Diaspora Nigerians is taking centre stage, and is being given the needed attention.
”Under this administration, it is easier for you to get your passport. Also, the non-resident Bank Verification Number (BVN) is now working under this administration. You don’t need to come home to get your BVN, and a lot of investment opportunities are now open and available. Most importantly, the economy is being transformed, and Nigeria is now a good place to invest,” she noted.
Nigerians present at the meeting said they were ready to invest in Nigeria in areas of mining, health, AI, fintech, creative industry and agriculture, among others, just as they praised the government’s efforts in the ease of doing business.
Those who spoke at the meeting include an Amazon AI Engineer, Adebimpe Daniels; a Healthcare Specialist, Saratu Garba; Mr Idoni Matthew, among others.
Bello Wakili
