Today, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced it will harness the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (DHII) 2026 to help repair healthcare in Nigeria using a huge pool of expertise comprising over 50,000 Nigerian doctors and thousands of other nurses, chemists and public health specialists across the globe.
The effort was the highlight of the weekend as Nigeria observed the 2026 National Diaspora Day (NDD) in Abuja with the subject “Harnessing Global Diaspora Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development”, Daily Trust writes.
In his keynote address, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye described the DHII as a flagship intervention that would leverage the expertise, experience, innovation and professional networks of Nigerian healthcare professionals in the diaspora to foster knowledge transfer, specialist medical outreach, capacity building, clinical mentorship, research collaboration and health workforce development.
He claimed the efforts were already boosting access to health care, improving quality of services, eliminating health inequities, and advancing universal health coverage across Nigeria.
“Strong health systems are vital for economic growth, social stability and national resilience and by linking global Nigerian medical expertise with local needs, the initiative is helping to build a healthier and more prosperous future for the country,” he added.
The diaspora is still one of Nigeria’s most important assets, a bridge for diplomacy, technology transfer and global engagement much beyond remittances and investment, said Enikanolaiye.
He reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening relationship with Nigerians abroad and commended the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa, for her commitment to promoting diaspora engagement and delivering impactful initiatives like the DHII.
Dabiri Erewa, speaking at the occasion, said NiDCOM had evolved “from policy to impact” since 2019.
She said that the Federal Executive Council has approved the National Diaspora Policy 2021, which is guiding all Ministries, Departments and Agencies on diaspora matters. NiDCOM had reached out to state governors and almost all the 36 states and the FCT have appointed State Diaspora Focal Point Officers.
She spoke about the DHII’s zonal medical missions in all six geopolitical zones, partnering with diaspora physician associations, from mother and child health to sickle cell screening to emergency surgery and neurosurgery.
She said: “Diaspora medical groups have donated equipment worth billions of naira to hospitals and primary health centres; the Diaspora Bridge programme has facilitated the return of academics for lectures and sabbaticals; and the new Silicon Valley Tech Bridge partnership with San José State University to train young Nigerians in emerging technologies.
She stated that remittances from the diaspora have risen from $17 billion in 2019 to over $21 billion in 2025, mentioned upcoming investment summits in Abuja and Toronto in August, and announced a new partnership with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria to give the diaspora access to affordable housing at home, to be launched in the United Kingdom in August.
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