The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has expressed its readiness to partner with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to deepen Diaspora engagements, facilitate humanitarian interventions, and support strategic investments by Nigerians abroad.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the commitment when the Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, paid a courtesy visit to the Service Headquarters in Abuja.
As stated in a press release, on Thursday, by NiDCOM of Director, Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the two federal agencies reaffirmed the importance of structured collaboration in advancing national development.
Speaking during the visit, Dabiri-Erewa informed the NCS CGC of the preparations for the 2026 edition of the National Diaspora Day.
She informed Adeniyi that the focus of the event was on Diaspora Health Impact Initiative 2026 (DHII 2026), adding that it was scheduled for July 20-23, 2026, across multiple states in Nigeria as part of the National Diaspora Day celebrations, holding on July 25 and 26 in Abuja.
Dabiri-Erewa highlighted challenges faced by Nigerians in the Diaspora who import medical equipment and relief materials for genuine humanitarian purposes in the country.
She called for the establishment of a structured framework to support legitimate Diaspora interventions, including waivers for medical and educational equipment.
Under the initiative, she said seven major Diaspora medical associations will be deployed to designated regions across the country to conduct medical outreaches and specialised training.
She added that the associations will cover various spheres of medicine across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones before rounding off in Abuja for National Diaspora Day 2026.
Dabiri-Erewa appealed to the Service for seamless collaboration in participating at the 2026 Diaspora Day, clearing of medical equipment and supplies to be brought in for the outreach, and also sought moral, financial, and institutional support for the event.
The NiDCOM boss seized the opportunity of the courtesy visit to invite NCS CGC Adeniyi to participate in the Diaspora Quarterly Lecture Series.
She noted that the lecture series attracts thousands of participants, urging the NCS boss to be physically present at the Global Diaspora Summit, scheduled to hold in Canada on 12 August, 2026.
She also proposed joint training initiatives, including sensitisation programs for NCS officers on the Diaspora phenomenon and capacity-building support for NiDCOM staff.
Responding, the NCS boss commended NiDCOM leadership for its impactful work over the past six years in projecting a positive image of Nigerians globally and strengthening ties between the Diaspora and the Nigerian Government.
He explained that, while revenue generation remained a core mandate of the Service, the NCS has become increasingly deliberate about trade facilitation to improve turnaround time, reduce the cost of doing business, and ultimately enhance revenue performance.
He said, in the last three years, the Service, under his command, has developed guidelines to create dedicated corridors for perishable and life-saving goods at ports and airports.
“We will be willing to do anything for them that will enhance development back home and our reputation abroad as enablers and not impediments to their progress,” he assured.
He affirmed that similar considerations would apply to genuine humanitarian and medical outreach materials, subject to due process and proper documentation, including Import Duty Exemption Certificates (IDEC) from the Ministry of Finance.
The NCS boss further referenced healthcare sector concessions introduced under President Bola Tinubu’s administration in 2025 to reduce medical costs, discourage medical tourism, and attract diaspora investment.
He disclosed that in 2025 alone, over ₦60 billion in Customs Duty concessions were granted to entities involved in the manufacturing or importing healthcare delivery systems.
“This is an area we would like Nigerians in the Diaspora to key into. Government is deliberately giving up revenue to encourage investment in healthcare. We can have discussions with those interested,” he stated.
While cautioning against abuse of humanitarian channels, Adeniyi assured that the Service would continue discussions with NiDCOM to establish clear processes that distinguish genuine interventions from misuse.
He welcomed the proposal by NiDCOM for joint training, disclosing that the Service already operates a Help Desk, which can also serve as a focal point within the Service to specifically handle Diaspora-related matters.
In attendance during the courtesy visit were top senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and management team from NiDCOM.
“The meeting marks a significant step toward institutionalising structured engagement between Customs and Nigeria’s Diaspora community, reinforcing the Federal Government’s commitment to harnessing Diaspora contributions for national growth and development,” it was added in the release.
