Dauda Lawal diaspora investment appeal urges Nigerians abroad to bring home their expertise and capital to support jobs and economic development
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has urged Nigerians living abroad to return home with their expertise, resources and capital as Nigeria seeks to attract investment, create jobs and accelerate economic development.
Lawal made the appeal in Toronto, Canada, on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, on the sidelines of the Nigeria Diaspora Economic Conference, where he is leading Zamfara’s delegation to the maiden Canada-Africa Investment Summit.
Speaking to members of the Nigerian diaspora community ahead of the conference, Lawal said Nigerians had distinguished themselves globally in medicine, engineering, information technology and other fields that could contribute significantly to national development.
The governor encouraged Nigerians abroad to look beyond sending remittances and consider direct investment and knowledge transfer as a way of contributing to the communities they left behind.
Lawal said his experience in both the private and public sectors had given him an understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with doing business in Nigeria.
The appeal comes as the Zamfara Government seeks to attract capital and technical expertise into sectors including agribusiness, strategic minerals, human capital development and digital innovation.
Lawal urged prospective investors to look beyond the challenges confronting Zamfara and consider the state’s significant economic potential.
He also said President Bola Tinubu’s administration was committed to creating a safer and more conducive environment for businesses and investments.
Zamfara’s investment pitch at the conference comes against the backdrop of the recent unveiling of a $200 million lithium mining and processing plant in Zurmi Local Government Area.
The project is expected to create at least 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to the state government, and represents an important example of the administration’s efforts to attract private-sector investment into the state.
For Zamfara, the Toronto engagement is therefore being presented as more than a diplomatic gathering. The state government views it as an opportunity to secure investment, technology transfer, development financing and strategic partnerships.
The Nigeria Diaspora Economic Conference began on August 12 and will run until August 15, 2026. The event is organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission in partnership with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa and the Canadian High Commission in Abuja.
Government officials, investors, entrepreneurs, financial institutions, development partners and Nigerian professionals living abroad are participating in the conference.
The Nigerian delegation is led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and includes the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Industry, Trade and Investment, and Interior, as well as governors from Anambra, Borno, Kaduna, Plateau and Zamfara states.
Senior officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, Nigerian Export Promotion Council and National Information Technology Development Agency are also participating.
NiDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Abike Dabiri-Erewa has said the conference is intended to shift diaspora engagement beyond consumption-driven remittances towards sustainable investments that generate employment and facilitate technology transfer.
The conference is expected to include business-to-business matchmaking, direct partnerships and the signing of memoranda of understanding as organisers seek to turn discussions into concrete investment opportunities.
For Lawal, the central message is that Nigerians abroad can play a more direct role in the country’s economic future by bringing their experience, capital and global connections home.
He believes stronger diaspora participation could help create jobs, deepen investment and support the wider economic transformation Nigeria is seeking.
