Nigeria's diaspora investment potential could reach $100 billion in annual inflows, according to Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM, the government agency for diaspora affairs). She delivered the figure as the Nigerians in Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS) 2026 concluded in Abuja on Wednesday, with organisers promising Nigerians abroad that their investments would be safe as opportunities at home continue to expand.

The summit carried the theme "Bridging the Trust Gap: Connecting Diaspora Capital with Credible Home-Based Opportunities". It gathered diaspora Nigerians, government institutions, financial regulators, investors, business owners and project developers to examine investment prospects across critical sectors of the economy.

Why does the trust gap matter?

Dabiri-Erewa framed the diaspora as a major economic resource whose contributions must extend beyond remittances to direct investment in productive sectors. "The Nigerian Diaspora Investment alone, if harnessed to its full potential, can measure up to $100 billion every year as inflow into the Nigerian economy," she said.

She acknowledged the obstacles plainly. In her assessment, lack of transparency, inadequate investor protection, unreliable information and weak institutional confidence have discouraged many Nigerians abroad from investing at home. She identified trust and knowledge gaps, fraudulent investment schemes, unverified channels and inadequate investor protection as the principal barriers. Unlocking diaspora capital, she argued, requires transparency, effective regulatory safeguards and credible investment platforms.

What did the mortgage bank propose?

Shehu Usman Osidi, Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN, the state-owned housing finance institution), used his keynote address to call for stronger institutional collaboration, transparent investment processes and improved investor protection mechanisms.

Osidi said Nigeria must rethink diaspora engagement by moving beyond capital attraction. The goal, he stated, is an environment where Nigerians abroad can confidently identify, verify, access and monitor credible investment opportunities at home.

He listed the failures that feed investor apprehension:

• weak investment governance;
• fraudulent property transactions;
• disputed land titles;
• abandoned projects;
• unfulfilled contractual obligations;
• mismanagement of invested funds.

Osidi credited the Federal Government's institutional groundwork, citing the establishment of NiDCOM and the National Diaspora Policy. The policy, he noted, provides a framework for mobilising diaspora resources through trade, investment, entrepreneurship, public-private partnerships and knowledge transfer. He also pointed to investment climate reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly through the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

How is the FMBN reaching diaspora buyers?

The FMBN offered its own operations as a case study. Osidi highlighted the bank's National Housing Fund (NHF) Diaspora Mortgage Product, officially launched in London on 7 August 2026.

The product responds to a familiar set of problems: Nigerians abroad who want to own homes at home face obstacles on mortgage accessibility, distance, property transactions and confidence in the safety of their funds. To serve this segment, FMBN has also established a dedicated Global Business Strategic Unit, an independent specialised business unit providing focused oversight, customer engagement and service delivery for diaspora business.

The subscription structure sets three tiers. Eligible Nigerians aged between 18 and 70 living abroad can participate through monthly contributions of US$100, US$200 or US$300 under the Basic, Classic and Premium categories respectively.

Osidi cautioned that mortgage finance alone will not resolve the trust problem. Credible housing supply, authentic property titles, quality construction and timely project delivery, he stressed, depend on stronger collaboration with regulators, state governments, developers and mortgage institutions.

Why was the 2026 summit virtual?

Mobolaji Lewis, Chairman of the Summit Organising Committee and Coordinator of NDIS, explained the format. The 2026 engagement ran virtually to sustain diaspora investment conversations after organisers scaled down the physical summit in view of the national election campaign season.

The summit, he said, would provide practical guidance on identifying, verifying and accessing credible investment opportunities while strengthening institutional collaboration. He also positioned this year's engagement as groundwork for the 10th-anniversary edition of the NDIS in 2027.

The combination is deliberate: a policy framework through NiDCOM and the National Diaspora Policy, regulatory reform through PEBEC, and product-level instruments such as the NHF Diaspora Mortgage. Whether that assembly closes the trust gap, and moves flows toward the $100 billion ceiling cited by Dabiri-Erewa, will define the summit's next decade.