The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar has called on Nigerian professionals abroad to foster unity and play a more strategic role in national development, especially through remote learning and collaboration with institutions abroad.
Speaking during the official launch of the Diaspora Bridge Initiative in Abuja, hosted by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, Tuggar described the project as “timely” and essential, particularly as Western nations increasingly restrict educational access to African students. “There appears to be a concerted effort to limit the number of Nigerians allowed to study abroad,” he said, warning that this reflects a broader “ideological shift” in global policy.
Referencing the work of a French author, he pointed to growing fears in the West of “an invasion of Africans” and underscored the need for alternatives like remote education. “The Diaspora Bridge provides an opportunity for us to continue to benefit from advancements in technology and education,” he said.
The initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s five-pillar foreign policy “Gender, Democracy, Demography, Development, and Diaspora,” he noted.
The Minister also highlighted ongoing academic collaborations, including Carleton University in Canada, which has a strong focus on migration studies, and Unilag’s work with German universities. “It’s important for Nigerian Diasporas to give us a better understanding of the whole corpus of knowledge vis-à-vis migration,” he added.
Citing innovations by Nigerian researchers, including cassava-based construction materials, the Minister said such partnerships underscore the intellectual strength of Nigerians abroad.
However, he decried the fragmentation of diaspora communities. “Instead of a common front, we see a toxic atmosphere. Oodua Diaspora, Igbo Diaspora, and so many contestations,” he said. “It is incumbent on the professionals and academics to provide the requisite leadership so that we may unite.”
He also announced government plans to deepen engagement in business process outsourcing to expand remote education and employment.
Commending the Ministry of Education and the Minister of State for their role in hosting the event, he concluded, “We may collectively benefit from what the Diaspora has to offer.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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