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The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has unveiled agenda for the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebration.
According to NIDCOM, n conjunction with other stakeholders in the health sector, it is organizing a medical outreach under the aegies of Diaspora Health Impact Initiative 2026 (DHII 2026), scheduled for July 20 to July 23, 2026, in Nigeria to kick off the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebration.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, NiDCOM, stated that the initiative is aimed at harnessing the expertise, innovation and global experience of Nigerian health professionals in the Diaspora to strengthen local health systems and expand access to specialist care, particularly in underserved communities.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with key National Health Institutions and Professional bodies both within and outside the country, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMPH&SW), the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Medical Association (NMA), and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
She noted that the 2026 National Diaspora Day, observed annually on July 25, will be celebrated under the theme, “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development.”
Dabiri-Erewa explained that beyond the over $20 billion in annual remittances, Nigerian professionals abroad continue to make significant contributions through knowledge transfer, specialist interventions, mentorship and health systems advisory support.
She stated that DHII 2026 provides a structured and coordinated national framework to align diaspora expertise with priority federal and state health needs, consolidating ongoing engagements under the National Diaspora Policy.
Under the initiative, seven major diaspora medical associations will deploy to designated states from July 20–23, 2026.
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She stated that operational delivery will be led by reputable National Diaspora Medical Associations, each assigned to specific states of intervention as follows:
The Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA – USA) will conduct interventions in Imo, Abia and Enugu States. The Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD – Canada) will operate in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG – UK) will cover Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto States, while the Concerned Medics Foundation (United Kingdom) will focus on Borno State.
Similarly, the Nigerian Medical Association Germany will carry out programmes in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State (Keffi); the Nigerian-Australian Medical & Dental Association (NAMDA – Australia) will deploy to Bayelsa, Edo (Benin City), Akwa Ibom (Uyo) and Rivers (Port Harcourt) States; while the Nigerian Doctors Forum South Africa (NDF-SA) will lead interventions in Lagos State.
The interventions will focus on specialist clinical services, maternal and neonatal health, sickle cell screening, women’s health, interventional radiology, neurosurgery, echocardiography, point-of-care ultrasound, medical leadership and systems strengthening, with emphasis on sustainable capacity building and hands-on mentorship rather than short-term outreach.
The initiative will be officially flagged off in Abuja at the beginning of Diaspora Week 2026, after which participating teams will deploy to their assigned locations. All associations are expected back in Abuja on July 24, 2026, to present outcome reports and impact data during the National Diaspora Day celebration on July 26, 2026, to support policy dialogue and future scaling.
Dabiri-Erewa expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his continued support for diaspora engagement as a strategic pillar of national development.
She also thanked the Minster of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Federal Ministry of Education, State Governments, professional bodies, diaspora medical associations, development partners, the private sector and the media for working closely with NiDCOM to make DHII 2026 possible.
She called on Nigerian health professionals in the Diaspora to continue partnering with NiDCOM in building resilient, equitable and people-centred healthcare systems across Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, ANPA, CANPAD – Canada, MANSAG – UK, Concerned Medics Foundation, NMA Germany, NAMDA Australia and NDF-SA jointly thanked NiDCOM for the opportunity to give back to the country and called for the initiative to be sustained annually.