Abdur-Rahman Balogun
The month of May can aptly be described as Diaspora month in Nigeria. This, apart from July 25, designated as National Diaspora Day by the Federal Government, was the month when the dream of most fundamentals of diaspora was birthed. It was in May 19, 2019, the hitherto office of Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora Affairs and the occupier, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa transmuted to Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) following the Senate approval and her confirmation as the Chairman/CEO of the new Commission.
It was indeed a dream nurtured when in May 2017 President Muhammadu Buhari signed the bill into law through the acting President then, Yemi Osinbajo, following the eventual passage by the eighth National Assembly. Similarly, it was also in the month of May that the Federal Executive Council ratified and approved the much-awaited and expected National Diaspora Policy, the first of its kind in Nigeria and a holistic policy geared towards
Dabiri-Erewa as saying that the scheme would impact the Nigerian economy. She said CBN introduced the “NAIRA 4 DOLLAR SCHEME” for Diaspora Remittances following its policy of remittance issuance in the currency of remittance. Dabiri-Erewa said that the scheme was a welcome idea as the policy would encourage Nigerians in the Diaspora to send money through official channels. “
The CBN Naira 4 Dollar scheme is an incentive for senders and recipients of International Money Transfer whereby recipients of Diaspora Remittances through CBN-licensed International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) shall be paid N5 per every dollar received as remittance inflow,” it said. She also said NiDCOM was finalising a Nigerian diaspora investment fund through which Nigerians in the diaspora could structure and channel their investments.