The Federal Government has announced plans to advance the Diaspora Voting Bill, a move aimed at granting Nigerians living abroad the constitutional right to vote in national elections.
The announcement was made on Monday by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, during the opening of the one-day Nigerian Stakeholders Engagement on Diaspora Governance.
The event also marked the launch of the Nigerians in Diaspora Response application and website, a collaborative initiative between the House Committee on Diaspora and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission.
In a statement issued by NiDCOM spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the speaker stressed the government’s commitment to ensuring that Nigerians in the diaspora can actively participate in the country’s democratic process.
“The Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has announced that the Federal Government is advancing plans for the Diaspora Voting Bill, which seeks to grant Nigerians living abroad the constitutional right to participate in national elections,” the statement read.
Speaking through a representative, Patrick Umoh, Abbas described the initiative as “a major step towards extending democratic participation to all citizens and ensuring that every Nigerian voice is heard in the process of nation-building.”
Abbas stressed that the 10th House of Representatives prioritises diaspora engagement in line with its broader legislative agenda of inclusion, accountability, and economic reforms.
According to the statement, the Chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora, Tochukwu Okere, explained that NiSEDiG 2025 is intended to create a unified policy framework integrating institutions, legislation, and technology to enhance Diaspora Governance.
The newly launched NiDRes App and website, he said, will streamline access to government services for Nigerians abroad and improve communication with Nigerian missions worldwide.
In her keynote address, the Chairman of NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, highlighted progress made in diaspora engagement since the commission’s establishment six years ago.
She said, “Over the past six years, the Nigeria–Diaspora relationship has made groundbreaking strides in health, education, agriculture, ICT, transportation, and volunteerism.
“We have now entered a new phase of consolidating diaspora engagement to boost national development.”
Dabiri-Erewa also recalled the approval of the National Diaspora Policy by the Federal Executive Council in April 2021, which provides a framework for facilitating diaspora involvement in national development.
She noted that the Diaspora Data Mapping Portal, launched in June 2021, continues to support informed decision-making.
The statement further noted that the NIDCOM chief pointed out that diaspora remittances remain Nigeria’s highest source of foreign exchange, amounting to US$23.81 billion in 2019 — approximately 6 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has repeatedly urged a constitutional amendment to enable Nigerians living in the Diaspora, along with specific groups of citizens within the country, to take part in future elections.
