Nigeria Engages 50,000 Diaspora Doctors for Healthcare

During the 2026 National Diaspora Day (NDD) in Abuja, the Nigerian government launched an initiative to rally 50,000 diaspora Nigerian doctors to improve local healthcare. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, described the Diaspora Healthcare Initiative (DHII) as a flagship program aimed at leveraging the expertise of Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad.

The initiative focuses on knowledge transfer, specialist medical outreach, capacity building, clinical mentorship, research collaboration, and health workforce development. Enikanolaiye highlighted the importance of strong health systems for economic growth and social stability.

Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, noted that since 2019, NiDCOM has transitioned from policy to impact, with the Federal Executive Council approving the National Diaspora Policy 2021. The DHII includes zonal medical missions across Nigeria and has facilitated significant contributions from diaspora medical groups, including equipment donations worth billions of naira.

Additionally, diaspora remittances increased from $17 billion in 2019 to over $21 billion in 2025.