Nigeria must re-evaluate its approach to immigration and civil appreciation by formally celebrating the millions of foreign nationals who live, invest, and build their lives within its borders.
This call to action was made by Victor Aihawu, the Director of the Platform for Cooperation on Mixed Migration (PCMM) and Founder of the Cultural Hangout Festival (CHF), in his compelling treatise titled "THE DIASPORA WITHIN: Why Nigeria Must Recognise the Foreign Nationals Contributing to Its Development."
In his analysis, Aihawu emphasises that while Nigeria rightly champions its external diaspora for their economic remittances and global accomplishments, the country frequently overlooks the key economic and social impacts of resident foreign nationals.
"Nigeria celebrates its citizens abroad for their remittances, investments, professional achievements and contributions to national development. But how often do we celebrate citizens of other countries who have made Nigeria their home and contribute to our economy? We call them foreigners or migrants. I call them the diaspora within," Aihawu asserts.
Redefining the Diaspora Paradigm
Globally, diaspora institutions such as the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) are designed to mobilize investment, manage cultural diplomacy, and foster development ties with citizens living overseas. However, Aihawu points out that host nations equally reap massive rewards from foreign populations residing within their borders.
"If we recognise the economic and social value of Nigerians living abroad, why do we pay comparatively little attention to foreign nationals who have chosen to live, work and invest in Nigeria?" he questions.
"Consider the Ghanaian entrepreneur operating a business in Abuja, the Indian industrialist employing Nigerians in Lagos, the Lebanese family whose business has served generations of customers, or the foreign professional transferring valuable expertise to a Nigerian institution. Some arrived as students, traders or employees. Others came seeking opportunities, married Nigerian men and women, raised families and established permanent roots in our communities... They are somebody else's diaspora, but they are also stakeholders in Nigeria's development. That is what I mean by the diaspora within."
Aihawu highlights that economic contribution is defined by impact rather than citizenship, "A Nigerian entrepreneur establishing a business in Manchester contributes to the British economy. Similarly, a Ghanaian entrepreneur establishing a business in Abuja contributes to Nigeria's economy. Both create opportunities in their host societies, irrespective of their nationality. If we celebrate the first, should we not acknowledge the second?"
Economic Competition and Policy Governance
The PCMM Director clarifies that acknowledging resident foreigners does not mean bypassing national laws or diverting focus from Nigerians abroad. Instead, it forms a vital strategy for global economic competitiveness.
"This is not an argument that diaspora institutions should abandon their responsibilities towards Nigerian citizens abroad. Neither is it a suggestion that foreign nationals should enjoy privileges outside established immigration and investment laws. Rather, it is a call for a complementary national development approach that recognises the contributions of resident migrants," he explains.
"National development should not be measured solely by the nationality of those who contribute to it. Countries compete to attract entrepreneurs, investors, skilled professionals, researchers and innovators. Nigeria cannot afford to approach this competition exclusively from the perspective of encouraging Nigerians abroad to return or invest at home."
To maximise these systemic advantages, Aihawu urges government agencies to collect precise data regarding migrant contributions and ensure transparent governance.
"Nigeria should begin to ask how effectively it understands and documents the contributions of migrant communities. What proportion of businesses are migrant-owned? How many Nigerians do they employ? What skills and international networks do they bring? How can these relationships support our economic diversification and investment ambitions?" Aihawu states, adding that "a welcoming environment must therefore be demonstrated through fair treatment, transparent procedures, respect for rights and responsible migration governance, rather than through hospitality alone."
Beyond Economics: Reciprocal Respect and Cultural Diplomacy
Aihawu further asserts that foreign nationals enrich Nigeria's social fabric through education, cuisine, music, art, and intermarriage—values that inspired the creation of the Cultural Hangout Festival in Abuja to mark the United Nations International Migrants Day.
However, he insists that honouring foreign residents must go beyond periodic events to embrace institutional synergy and reciprocal human rights standards.
"Nigeria needs stronger cooperation among institutions responsible for immigration, investment, labour, culture, tourism and international relations. Migrant contributions should become a more visible consideration in economic development discussions, while migrant communities should have opportunities to share their experiences and legitimate concerns," Aihawu stresses.
"We must also be prepared to apply to ourselves the standards we expect other countries to uphold. When Nigerians abroad experience discrimination, exclusion or unfair treatment, we rightly demand respect for their dignity and contributions. We should demonstrate the same commitment towards foreign nationals living among us."
Concluding his message, Aihawu reminds the nation that global integration begins at home.
"The diaspora is not always across the ocean. Sometimes, it lives next door, operates the business down the street, teaches our children, employs our young people or has become part of our families. Nigeria's future prosperity will depend partly on how successfully we mobilise the talents of our citizens, both at home and abroad. But it will also depend on our ability to attract, retain and appreciate the contributions of people from other countries who choose to participate in our development... Let us continue to celebrate Nigerians abroad. But let us not overlook the diaspora within."