THE Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has outlined plans to deploy Nigerian medical professionals living abroad to various states this year, to bolster healthcare services across the country.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja yesterday, Dabiri-Erewa unveiled the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative 2026.
The initiative, with the theme: ‘Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development,’ will bring diaspora-based doctors and specialists to various geopolitical zones to conduct medical interventions and provide professional training.

Dabiri-Erewa noted that although Nigeria benefits significantly from diaspora remittances estimated at over $20 billion yearly, the technical expertise of Nigerian medical professionals overseas remains largely untapped.

“Nigeria has a pool of highly trained Diaspora Health Professionals who continue to make significant contributions to global healthcare systems.

“Beyond financial remittances, which exceed $20 billion yearly, their knowledge transfer, specialist care, mentorship and systems expertise represent a powerful tool for national health transformation,” she said.

The NiDCOM boss added that the initiative provides “a coordinated framework to align diaspora expertise with priority national and state-level health needs, particularly in underserved communities in Nigeria.”
Under the programme, seven diaspora-based medical associations will be deployed to states, including Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Nasarawa, Abia, Sokoto, and Kaduna, between July 20 and 23, 2026, ahead of the yearly National Diaspora Day on July 25.

The teams will subsequently collaborate with state governments and local health institutions in their assigned locations.
Participating organisations include the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas, the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists, the Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain, the Concerned Medics Foundation, the Nigerian Medical Association Germany, the Nigerian-Australian Medical & Dental Association, and the Nigerian Doctors Forum – South Africa.

Their interventions will cover specialist lectures, maternal and neonatal health, sickle cell screening, women’s health screening, point-of-care ultrasound, interventional radiology, neurosurgery, reproductive health diagnostics, medical leadership and health governance, among others.