Nigeria’s diaspora, estimated at up to 15 million people worldwide, plays a crucial role in driving growth and progress in the country. As Nigeria emerges from recession, civic and business leaders are looking to leverage the diaspora in order to mobilise development resources. Recognising the importance of diaspora engagement, the Government of Nigeria has recently established the Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora and is currently drafting a National Policy on Diaspora Matters.
This study was conducted to understand the potential to engage the diaspora in order to generate productive investments and resources for development in Nigeria. The researcher looked at three models of engagement, focusing primarily on the first two: (i) remittances from the diaspora to Nigeria, (ii) direct investments into Nigeria made by the diaspora, and (iii) the diaspora’s promotion of investment in Nigeria.
The findings in this study should be interpreted as indicative, not representative. The sample of survey respondents is not large enough to claim statistical significance for the analyses.
