Over 2000 participants have registered to take part in the sixth Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS) geared towards driving diaspora direct investments to Nigeria.

The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa disclosed this while addressing a news conference in Abuja on Friday ahead of the three-day summit slated for November 13th to 15^th, 2023.

She noted that the participants include 72 identified Nigerian Diaspora investors, 196 small business owners, 148 representatives of private sector entities and 88 public officials from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies in-person participants with 1,250 expected virtual participants.

As the sixth in its series, the NiDCOM Boss stated that the Summit has become a brand, driving Diaspora Direct Investments to Nigeria.

The theme of the sixth edition, “New Vistas, New Aspirations – The Diaspora and National Development”, has its primary attention on Agriculture and its low-hanging fruits for food security  and economic growth in the nation.

She recalled that previous Summits have birthed many success stories for emerging start-ups businesses, business investments, as well as, social impacts interventions done to improve the socio-economic situation of the country.

Dabiri-Erewa noted that the 2022 NDIS  focused on Ondo, Nasarawa and Borno states for investment.

She added that this year’s Summit has Heifer International, an NGO, as its lead sponsor, as well as other private and public sector organisations that are passionate about the Summit and its objectives.

She informed that the three-day hybrid event will include Business Pitching sessions, Special Session by Heifer International, Crowdfunding panel session, keynote remarks by distinguished business leaders , policy statements by high level government officials, expert panel sessions, deal room (with deal updates and video interviews going out live online); Business exhibitions (over 30 exhibition stands showing various products and services), Networking opportunities for business connections, plus a Gala dinner and a cultural evening to round off the whole event.

She appreciated all the stakeholders – planning committee, sponsors and the media in particular for making every NDIS a reality and hopes for a fruitful deliberation.

Dr. Lekan Tobe, Technical Lead and interim  Country Director, Heifer International Nigeria, stated that he is pleased to collaborate at this year’s event, while pointing out that the Summit, “has established itself as the premier platform for connecting Nigerians in the diaspora with opportunities for direct investment and engagement in the country’s burgeoning industries”.

The Heifer International Nigeria Country Director added that NDIS 2023 will further strengthen the links between Nigeria and its diaspora communities while exposing a dynamic view of investment opportunities and prospects in various sectors, particularly Agriculture, which is its  focus sector.

He said: “We feel that our goal of assisting more than two million households to achieve sustainable living income by 2030, through strategic private and public sector partnerships that will support the unlocking of the potential in Nigeria’s agricultural sector to achieve food self-sufficiency is fully aligned with that of the summit, as expressed through the NDIS initiative.”

Speaking in the same vein,   Amb. Rabiu Dagari, Director General, Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA), explained that Nigeria needs to critically harness the potentials of its Diaspora like its Indian and South African counterparts for national development.

Similarly, Dr. Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, the Coordinator, Nigeria Diaspora Summit Initiative, enjoined everyone, especially in the Diaspora, to invest inwards for an upward economic development in Nigeria.

She used the opportunity to remind others that registration is still ongoing at www.ndisng.com, while further details of the Summit can be found on its website.

NDIS is an annual event, jointly organised by the Nigeria Diaspora Summit Initiative (NDSI), an Incorporated Trustee organisation and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria whose mandate is to facilitate engagement between Nigerians in Diaspora and the home country.

NDIS was launched in 2018 as a platform for facilitating Diaspora engagement and effective participation in the Nation’s economic activities.