Deploy skills for Africa’s growth, NiDCOM tells Nigerian professionals

The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has called on Nigerian professionals abroad to channel their expertise, influence and resources into innovation and investment for the development of the African continent.

She made the call at the 2026 Black Engineering Week held in San Jose, California, themed Africans in Diaspora as Bridge Builders.

This was disclosed in a statement posted on the commission’s X page on Friday by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

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Dabiri-Erewa, who spoke as a special guest at the event, said Black and African engineers remain underrepresented in Silicon Valley, even though they are among those building the technologies defining the future.

“She also called for stronger collaboration between institutions in Silicon Valley and African universities, urging the expansion of internships, fellowships, research partnerships and innovation programmes capable of unlocking opportunities for over 1.4 billion Africans,” the statement said.

Biodun Busari

Biodun Busari is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with five years of experience reporting on human interest, crime, diaspora issues, and feature storytelling. He focuses on producing engaging, informative stories that enlighten the public and provide context on complex topics. Biodun’s work demonstrates hands-on newsroom experience and a strong commitment to accurate, purpose-driven journalism.

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