The chief executive officer of Winhomes Global Services Limited, Engr. Stella Ifeoma Okengwu, has commended Vice President Kashim Shettima for his openness to dialogue with Nigerians in the diaspora. Okengwu spoke after reflecting on her encounter with the vice president on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The interaction provided an opportunity to discuss Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), diaspora participation in national development and the challenges confronting Nigerians abroad.
Shettima led Nigeria’s delegation to the UNGA on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, participating in high-level engagements and meeting with members of the Nigerian diaspora. He urged them to contribute their investments, expertise and networks to national development. Okengwu highlighted the vice president’s willingness to listen to investors’ concerns and engage them directly on issues affecting their confidence in the Nigerian business environment.
According to Okengwu, the conversation reinforced the importance of creating stronger institutional safeguards for Nigerians in the diaspora who invest their resources in the country. She emphasized that patriotism cannot replace investment protection. Okengwu stated that if a Nigerian-American brings capital home, builds a legitimate enterprise, creates employment and introduces foreign investment, that person should be able to trust the institutions responsible for protecting lawful investment.
Okengwu noted that the Federal Government’s efforts to attract diaspora capital would have a greater impact when investors could also have confidence that their legitimate interests would be protected after committing their resources. She said investor experiences could influence the decisions of other Nigerians abroad and international investors considering Nigeria. The Winhomes CEO described her interaction with Shettima as significant.
The interaction gave Okengwu an opportunity to convey what she called the human side of diaspora investment. According to her, behind investment figures are families, employees, businesses and professionals who have chosen to commit their resources to Nigeria because of their belief in the country’s potential. She described the Vice President as attentive and receptive during their conversation.
Okengwu added that Shettima's willingness to listen to investors’ concerns was important in building confidence between the government and the diaspora community. However, she said such engagements would be more significant when translated into policies and institutional reforms that improve the investor experience. The Federal Government has development initiatives in the South-East.
Okengwu acknowledged the establishment of these initiatives, which aim to promote economic growth and development in the region. The commendation from Okengwu highlights the importance of government engagement with the diaspora community.
Key points
- The Vice President's willingness to listen to investors' concerns was crucial in building confidence between the government and the diaspora community.
- Creating stronger institutional safeguards is essential for Nigerians in the diaspora who invest their resources in the country.
- Investor experiences can significantly influence the decisions of other Nigerians abroad and international investors considering Nigeria.
