Nigerians in the diaspora continue to play an important part in the country’s economy, with an estimated $23 billion in total remittances in 2023......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Remittances from Nigeria’s diaspora are nearly equal to the GDP of Africa’s 10 smallest economies, highlighting their significance.
Togo, Burundi, Eswatini, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Lesotho, South Sudan, Djibouti, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Gambia are among the countries affected.
These considerable contributions illustrate the Nigerian diaspora’s economic effect, which frequently serves as a financial lifeline for families and the economy as a whole.
Remittances from these expats have become an important source of foreign cash, helping to stabilize the country’s economy in difficult times.
According to data from the Migration Policy Institute, the following ten countries host the largest Nigerian diaspora populations, contributing to this enormous inflow of remittances.
| Country | Population |
| United States | 353885 |
| United Kingdom | 215000 |
| Italy | 119400 |
| United Arab Emirates | 100000 |
| Brazil | 90000 |
| Germany | 83000 |
| Canada | 70000 |
| Spain | 70000 |
| South Africa | 31000 |
| France | 30000 |
According to Kevin Urama, Chief Economist and Vice-President of Economic Governance and Knowledge Management at the African Development Bank (AfDB), Nigeria is currently rated fourth in Africa in terms of the highest number of residents living outside the continent.
Urama further stated that according to African Union figures, over 70,000 trained professionals leave Africa each year.
A considerable proportion of these emigrants are Nigerian. Around 58% of Nigerians residing abroad are from outside Africa, while 42% live on the continent.
To keep track of Nigerians residing abroad, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) developed the Data Mapping and Registry Portal in 2021.
The purpose is to compile a comprehensive database of Nigerians overseas. So far, Nigerians from 28 countries have signed up for the platform, although NiDCOM has not disclosed the exact number of registered diaspora members.
However, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) projects that over 17 million Nigerians will live abroad by 2024.