Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Bornet .k
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to Nigerian doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals living abroad to return home and contribute their expertise to strengthening the country's healthcare system, declaring that "there's nowhere like home."
The President made the appeal on Friday, July 24, 2026, while receiving a delegation of Nigerian Diaspora Medical Associations Worldwide at the State House in Abuja during activities marking the 2026 National Diaspora Day Celebration. The delegation was led by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, alongside senior government officials and healthcare leaders.
Drawing from his own experience of studying and working in the United States before returning to Nigeria, Tinubu urged the visiting medical professionals to persuade more of their colleagues overseas to come back and support national development.
"I have been through that journey. I'm home now and I can tell you there's nowhere like home," the President said, recalling his early career in accountancy and finance in the United States before returning to Nigeria to contribute to nation-building. He said the knowledge, innovation and experience acquired abroad should now be channelled towards improving Nigeria's healthcare sector.
Tinubu acknowledged that Nigeria requires the expertise and patriotism of its highly skilled professionals abroad to build a resilient and world-class healthcare system. He commended members of the diaspora medical associations for conducting medical outreach programmes across different parts of the country, describing their voluntary services as evidence of their commitment to humanity and national progress.
The President also used the occasion to reaffirm his administration's commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda, saying healthcare remains central to his government's development priorities. According to him, the Federal Government is implementing reforms aimed at strengthening primary healthcare, expanding access to quality medical services, investing in medical education and research, improving digital health infrastructure, enhancing workers' welfare and introducing policies designed to reverse the country's persistent brain drain.
Appealing directly to the visiting delegation, Tinubu said those already contributing to Nigeria's health sector should become ambassadors for national renewal by encouraging more Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad to reconnect with the country through partnerships, investment, knowledge transfer and permanent return.
He also reiterated his administration's determination to tackle poverty and improve living conditions, declaring that "poverty is not acceptable" and promising continued efforts to create greater prosperity, better education and improved healthcare for Nigerians.
Earlier, Abike Dabiri-Erewa praised the visiting medical professionals for returning to give back to their country despite successful careers overseas. She said the Nigerian diaspora continues to play a vital role in national development, not only through remittances but also through specialised knowledge, professional mentorship and medical interventions that strengthen the country's healthcare delivery system.
Also speaking, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the commitment demonstrated by the diaspora healthcare professionals reflected growing confidence in the government's healthcare reforms. He described them as highly motivated Nigerians eager to contribute their expertise to improving healthcare delivery across the country.
The meeting formed part of the 2026 National Diaspora Day, organised by NiDCOM under the theme, "Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development." The initiative brought together Nigerian doctors, nurses and other health professionals from across the world to participate in medical outreach programmes and policy discussions aimed at improving healthcare services nationwide.
Among members of the delegation received by the President were Dr. Jide Menakaya, Dr. Kunle Akanbi, Dr. Uche Menakaya, Dr. Itua Iriogbe, Dr. Cliff Ike, Dr. Sadiya Gumi, Dr. Benjamin Anyanwu, Dr. Emilia Iwu, Dr. Charles Adekunle and several other Nigerian healthcare professionals practising abroad.
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