By:  Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.

The House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs on Monday, October 27, 2025, took a major step toward deepening Nigeria’s engagement with its citizens abroad with the official launch of the Nigerians in Diaspora Registration (NiDRes) Application and Web Platform, designed to address long-standing communication challenges between the diaspora and government institutions.

The event, held at Conference Room 028, National Assembly Complex, Abuja, was part of the Nigerian Stakeholders Engagement on Diaspora Governance (NiSEDiG 2025),  a high-level dialogue themed “Legislative–Executive Partnership in Diaspora Governance: Harmonious Working Relationship Towards a Productive Diaspora Policy.”

The forum brought together key stakeholders from the legislature, executive, private sector, and diaspora communities worldwide, focusing on strategies to streamline communication, investment, and policy participation for the over 17 million Nigerians living abroad.

Speaking to journalists at the launch, Prince Aliyu Audu, Vice President of the Nigerian-Irish Business Association (NIBA) and Co-founder of the Nigeria Diaspora Summit Initiative (NDSI), said:
“We’re building bridges to bring the diaspora closer to home.”

Prince Aliyu Audu emphasized the importance of collaboration between the legislative and executive arms of government to remove barriers faced by Nigerians abroad.

“The takeaway from today is clear — we must strengthen collaboration between the legislature and the executive to make life easier for Nigerians in the diaspora,” Audu said.

“There are still too many obstacles preventing our people abroad from investing, doing business, and relating effectively with home. That must change.”

Audu, a renowned banker and economist, highlighted ongoing efforts to foster bilateral trade between Nigeria and Ireland, noting that such partnerships could unlock new opportunities for investment and development.

“In Dublin, we’ve organized several summits bringing Irish businesses and government officials together with the Nigerian community to promote trade relations,” he explained. “One of our key goals is establishing a direct flight between Nigeria and Dublin to ease travel and business exchange. This is one of the practical steps we are pushing to bring the diaspora closer to home.”

Prince Aliyu Audu is a respected Nigerian economist, banker, and political figure, widely recognized for his advocacy for diaspora inclusion and economic reform.

He holds a BA in International Economics from the University of Hertfordshire, a postgraduate degree in International Banking and Finance from Cardiff University, and is pursuing a PhD in Economics at the American University.

Audu’s career spans senior banking roles at Bond Bank and Oceanic International Bank, where he served as Head of Retail Banking. He currently serves as Managing Director/CEO of Hatfield Group of Companies and is a trustee of the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS).

In the public sector, Audu served as Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Public Affairs until his resignation in June 2025, citing concerns about political inclusivity and democratic competition.

Through his work with the Nigerian-Irish Business Association, Audu continues to promote economic diplomacy, trade partnerships, and diaspora engagement, particularly through the annual Irish Investment Summit in Dublin.

NiDRes: A New Era for Nigeria–Diaspora Communication, Says Prince Aliyu Audu

The newly launched NiDRes App is designed as a central platform for Nigerians abroad to register, communicate, and interact directly with relevant government institutions. The platform aims to:

Simplify the reporting and resolution of diaspora-related issues,

Strengthen data-driven policy development, and

Create a verifiable database of Nigerians abroad for investment and governance purposes.

Stakeholders at NiSEDiG 2025 described the app as a “digital bridge” that will eliminate bottlenecks and promote transparency in diaspora affairs.

The NiSEDiG 2025 forum reinforced the government’s commitment to creating an inclusive diaspora policy that integrates the contributions of Nigerians abroad into national development.

Participants called for sustained engagement through quarterly legislative–executive dialogues, deeper collaboration with diaspora organizations, and incentives for investment in key sectors such as agriculture, green energy, technology, and education.

With the launch of NiDRes and the ongoing Diaspora Voting Bill under review, Nigeria appears set to usher in a new era of global citizen inclusion.

“Every time a Nigerian succeeds abroad, the image of the nation grows stronger. It’s our responsibility to ensure those successes translate into growth back home.”