Briefing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Dabiri-Erewa explained that the data derived from the portal will aid the Federal Government in quickly addressing any emergency bedeviling Nigerians in the diaspora.
The chairman advised parents to encourage their children to register on the portal to avert what transpired during the evacuation of citizens in Sudan.
She said, “One of the things I want us to work on is the issue of data. We have set up a portal for data capture. It is growing gradually. We want you to be more involved in getting Nigerians in the diaspora to let us know where they are. This is because, at the end of the day, we lose nothing. It is when there is a crisis that we know this data is important.
“And for parents in particular, let your children returning to school register on that data portal. Tell us where they are and what they are doing.
“We know what happened in Sudan when there was war. When we said there were 3 million Nigerians, people said she didn’t know what she was talking about. They were a lot more than that.
“So let us keep stressing data. It is not for anything, but it is important to know where they are, what they are doing, and what roles we can play as we move to national development.”
Speaking further, she stated that almost 10,000 people are expected to participate in National Diaspora Day.
According to her, Diaspora Day had been in existence for 17 years.
She added that the event with the theme, ‘Consolidating Diaspora Engagement for National,’ is scheduled for July 25 and 26, 2023 in Abuja.
She noted that Nigeria, as a nation, is blessed with a rich and diverse diaspora population worldwide.
She said, “These individuals; our Nigerian brothers and sisters; men and women living abroad, possess immense potential as catalysts and contributors to our national development.
“These men and women from Nigeria, therefore, must be intentionally celebrated in every possible way for their role as Ambassadors of our dear country globally; trendsetters in various walks of life but most importantly in encouraging them to invest in the country’s sustainable growth.”
