Foreigners now seek Nigerian passports, Dabiri-Erewa says

By Folarin Kehinde

The Director of Diaspora Mobilisation for the PBAT/APC 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has said that an increasing number of foreign nationals are seeking Nigerian passports and expressing interest in staying in the country.

Dabiri-Erewa disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing in Abuja, where she outlined the council’s plans to mobilise Nigerians in the diaspora in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Speaking on the reported interest of foreigners in acquiring Nigerian citizenship, she said her office had received numerous appeals from non-Nigerians seeking assistance in obtaining Nigerian passports.

“On my table, you see a lot of people telling us to beg the President to be able to give them Nigerian passports. Ask the Minister of Interior. It’s too much,” she said.

She said the development reflected growing interest in Nigeria among some foreign nationals, including those seeking to invest in the country and establish closer ties with it.

Dabiri-Erewa cited the example of a woman who recently told her team on camera that she had come to Nigeria and did not intend to return to her previous country of residence.

She also highlighted the contributions of Nigerians living abroad, describing them as important stakeholders in the country’s development.

According to her, Nigerians in the diaspora include doctors, nurses, engineers, students, traders, innovators and community leaders who contribute to the economy through remittances, investments and other forms of engagement.

She said diaspora remittances exceeded $20 billion annually, adding that Nigerians abroad were also investing in sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture and information and communications technology.

On preparations for the 2027 presidential election, Dabiri-Erewa said the diaspora directorate would implement a five-point strategic plan to mobilise Nigerians living abroad in support of Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

The plan includes activating APC diaspora chapters across five continents, launching a digital campaign initiative tagged “Operation Tell Your Story”, encouraging diaspora fundraising through transparent and structured platforms, promoting voter registration awareness and strengthening efforts to counter misinformation about Nigeria and the Tinubu administration.

Dabiri-Erewa acknowledged that Nigerians living abroad were currently unable to vote in Nigerian elections from their countries of residence under the existing legal framework.

She, however, urged the National Assembly to amend the relevant laws to make diaspora voting possible.

She maintained that Nigerians abroad could still influence political conversations at home by engaging their families, communities and local government areas.

On the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, she defended the removal of the fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange rate, describing the measures as difficult but necessary reforms aimed at addressing structural challenges and moving the country towards prosperity.

She also called for sustained collaboration between Nigerians at home and abroad, stressing that the country needed the contributions of its diaspora community.

“Nigeria needs you, and you also need Nigeria. It’s a symbiotic relationship,” she said.

Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians to remain engaged in the country’s development, adding that the diaspora directorate would intensify its outreach and mobilisation activities in the coming months.

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