The Federal Government has declared that Nigeria’s growing engagement with its diaspora and strategic international partners will be central to its efforts to strengthen national security, expand economic opportunities and drive sustainable development.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, stated this at the Dinner Night of the Nigerian Diaspora Economic Conference in Toronto, Canada, where he outlined the government’s approach to security, diaspora engagement and Nigeria’s emerging strategic partnerships.
Enikanolaiye said security remained one of the country’s major challenges but assured that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was deploying every available means to contain the security threats that had confronted Nigeria for more than a decade.
“Security remains a major challenge, but the current administration is doing everything humanly possible to ensure that we contain these that have been with us in multifaceted manner for the past 10 or so years,” he said.
The minister disclosed that Nigeria was entering what he described as a “new era of partnership of strategic autonomy” with key international partners, including the United States.
He revealed that he had just returned from Washington, where he participated in high-level engagements with American officials.
“I came in from Washington only yesterday. I was privileged to have been part of the team meeting with the Americans,” he said.
According to him, the renewed engagement is designed to produce tangible benefits for Nigerians rather than merely symbolic diplomatic relationships
He said the objective was to secure “core, concrete, positive outcomes for Nigerians in terms of security, in terms of prosperity, in terms of defence and the welfare of the Nigerian people.”
The Minister’s remarks come as Nigeria continues to deepen international cooperation on security, economic development and strategic interests, while seeking partnerships that reflect the country’s national priorities.
A major focus of the minister’s address was the Federal Government’s renewed emphasis on the Nigerian diaspora as a strategic resource.
He said the Tinubu administration no longer viewed Nigerians living abroad primarily through the lens of consular responsibilities and government assistance.
“For this government, Nigerians in the diaspora are critical assets of national development,” Enikanolaiye said.
“We don’t see you as a basket case of consular burden responsibilities always in need of government’s intervention and assistance. No.”
Instead, he said, the government regarded Nigerians abroad as a pool of highly skilled human resources whose expertise, capital, networks and international experience could contribute significantly to Nigeria’s development priorities.
“On the contrary, we see you as a vital human resource with huge capacities for Nigeria which government is trying to harness in terms of our national development priorities,” he added.
Enikanolaiye also challenged Nigerians at home and abroad to confront the divisions that continue to undermine national cohesion and economic cooperation.
He acknowledged the existence of a “trust deficit” among Nigerians, particularly within diaspora communities, but urged citizens to deliberately move beyond ethnic, religious and tribal considerations.
“We are aware of the trust deficit that exists among Nigerians especially those of us abroad. Let’s try and break those barriers of ethnicity, barriers of religion, barriers of tribe,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to focus instead on cooperation capable of generating production, development, growth and prosperity.
“Let’s relate on the functional aspect of cooperation that promotes production, that promotes development, that promotes growth and prosperity unto Nigerian,” the minister added.
The Minister also acknowledged Canada’s contribution to Nigeria’s development and called for stronger partnerships based on mutual respect and cooperation.
He said Nigeria remained committed to working with Canada and other international partners to build relationships capable of delivering practical benefits to both sides.
Enikanolaiye commended the organisers of the Nigerian Diaspora Economic Conference and members of the diaspora community for their contribution to Nigeria’s development.
He described the conference as an important platform for celebrating the Nigerian diaspora as an asset to the country and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s readiness to collaborate with Nigerians abroad and international partners in advancing Nigeria’s national interests.
The Minister’s message was clear: Nigeria’s security, prosperity and development will increasingly depend not only on domestic efforts but also on the strategic mobilisation of its global Nigerian community and partnerships built around mutual respect, shared interests and tangible outcomes.
