Some of the participants at the 2018 general meeting of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe in November 2018 in Vienna, Austria / Photo: TAC

Nigeria declares July 25 National Diaspora Day

The Federal Government has set aside July 25 of every year as National Diaspora Day in recognition of the contributions of Nigerians living outside the country towards homeland development.

This was disclosed in Abuja on Tuesday by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

The Media Coordinator of the Commission, Abdul-rahman Balogun, in a statement, explained that NIDCOM was hosting the 2019 National Diaspora Day celebrations in collaboration with the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa and the Nigerians in Diaspora Alumni Network.

According to the statement, the theme of the event is, ‘The Power of the Nigerian Diaspora for National Development.’

The co-chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr Sule Bassi, said that the event, which would hold on 25 July in Abuja, would be graced by the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, according to the statement, is expected to declare the conference open.

READ ALSO Nigerians in Diaspora head to Abuja to discuss national development

Also billed to address the conference are Ms Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NIDCOM; Mr Kenneth Gbandi, Chairman of NIDO Europe and current Coordinating Chairman, NIDO Worldwide; and Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo, Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Plc.

The annual event brings together foreign-based Nigerians and representatives of the federal and state governments to discuss areas of possible partnership in national development.

Sola Jolaoso

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