Former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has called on Nigerians in the diaspora to shift from merely sending financial remittances to playing active roles in governance and economic development at home. He made this call while delivering the keynote address at the 2nd Bi-Annual Convention of the Premier International Association, a pan-Nigerian diaspora body, held in Cologne, Germany.
Speaking on the theme “The Role of Diasporans in Improving the Quality of Life for the Less Privileged at Home,” Ikpeazu underscored the untapped economic value of Nigeria’s diaspora, which remits over $20 billion annually—about 4% of the country’s GDP.
“Remittances must evolve into development capital. We transformed remittance power into policy power by integrating diaspora professionals into decision-making,” he said, citing his administration’s appointment of over ten diaspora returnees to key cabinet and advisory roles in Abia State.
Highlighting practical outcomes, Ikpeazu pointed to projects spearheaded by diaspora experts, including:
A Mother-and-Child Specialist Hospital funded and staffed by diaspora health professionals;
An expansion of emergency medical services under a U.S.-trained surgeon;
Education sector reform that retrained over 4,000 teachers and digitized lesson plans through contributions from Australian-based educators;
Durable concrete road projects led by diaspora engineers like U.S.-based Engr. China Mba.
He also credited the creation of the Abia Diaspora Commission in 2019, headed by U.S.-based pharmacist Dr. Ngozi Ogbonna-Erondu, as a key step in institutionalizing diaspora participation.
Despite the demonstrated impact, Ikpeazu noted that bureaucratic bottlenecks, lack of safety guarantees, and policy inconsistencies continue to discourage diaspora involvement.
“To fully unlock diaspora economic potential, we need fast-track work permits, secure land titles, and enabling infrastructure,” he urged.
He proposed four immediate policy actions:
1. Establishing diaspora desks across all ministries;
2. Creating zero-duty import windows for lab, agritech, and e-learning tools;
3. Launching reverse-fellowship programs for short-term diaspora placements in public agencies;
4. Introducing performance-tied project bonds to ensure continuity beyond political transitions.
Ikpeazu also called on diaspora organizations to develop skill registers, project blueprints, and independent monitoring systems to improve accountability and delivery.
Commending the Premier International Association, he described the Cologne convention as a strategic forum for shaping Nigeria’s development trajectory through civic engagement and economic collaboration.
