From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has assured that President Bola Tinubu’s perceived tough reforms and policies will eventually yield positive results for all, adding that the welfare of Nigerians is his priority.
She gave this assurance at different meetings in London with Kate Airey, UK Head of the West Africa Department, and Florence Eshalomi, MP and newly appointed UK Trade Envoy to Nigeria, as well as at the Nigerian Diaspora Direct Investment Summit (NDDIS), according to a statement issued by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.
Airey, at the meeting held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, stressed the importance of the UK diaspora and the need to further deepen engagement between the two countries. She expressed her willingness to collaborate with NIDCOM in all respects within the commission’s mandate for further national development. Airey, who was impressed with the activities of the commission thus far, praised Nigerians in the diaspora for their developmental strides and excellence both in Nigeria and in the UK.
At the meeting with Florence Eshalomi, MP, she spoke on furthering the trade relationship between Nigeria and the UK. “I am delighted to be appointed as the UK’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria. I am looking forward to building on the UK’s relationship with Nigeria, to help explore shared growth and opportunities for both countries,” Eshalomi said.
In the same vein, Dabiri-Erewa, at the Nigerian Diaspora Direct Investment Summit (NDDIS) in the UK, appealed to Nigerians in the diaspora to continue to project the country positively and attract investments, describing them as the country’s number one ambassadors.
She commended the convener of the summit, Bimbo Afolayan, for his steadfastness over the years in promoting trade and investment to Nigeria and urged others to emulate him.
She reminded them of the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS) coming up in Abuja from 11 to 13 November, urging them to encourage investments back home.