A spirit of patriotism and potential filled the air as the 12th Nigerian Diaspora Direct Investment Summit (NDDIS) took place in London, aiming to deepen economic ties between Nigerians abroad and the homeland.
The 2025 summit, held at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in Kensington, gathered prominent government officials, entrepreneurs, and investors, all committed to unlocking Nigeria’s development through strategic diaspora engagement.
Launched in 2013 by Bimbo Afolayan, the NDDIS has become a vital platform that links diaspora Nigerians with trustworthy investment and mentorship opportunities.
The initiative continues to enjoy the support of the Office of the Vice President and key agencies like the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
This year’s edition, themed “Nigerian Diaspora MSMEs and Job Creation Roadshow and Investment Summit,” placed particular emphasis on empowering micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as vehicles for sustainable job creation.
In her keynote address, NiDCOM Chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, encouraged Nigerians abroad to take deliberate steps in mentoring, investing, and transferring knowledge to help build the nation.
“The Diaspora must be intentional. The NDDIS is doing something powerful — it’s creating a bridge by bringing Nigeria to the UK and connecting investors back to Nigeria. Challenges exist, but we must ask ourselves what role we are playing to resolve them. We must all work to uplift our country,” she stated.
Afolayan, founder of the summit, echoed the commitment to closing the gap between Nigerians at home and those abroad.
A major milestone during the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bauchi State and NDDIS, paving the way for six developmental projects targeting healthcare, education, agriculture, and economic growth.
Katsina State, represented by Hajia Aisha Aminu Abdullahi, also indicated plans for future collaboration.
Key figures in attendance included the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Job Creation, Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, and Aminu Hammayo, who represented Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.
 took place in London.){kind=link}