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 and willingness to listen to concerns surrounding investment in Nigeria. The commendation was made after her encounter with the Vice President on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Shettima led Nigeria’s delegation to the UNGA on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, where he participated in high-level engagements and also met with members of the Nigerian diaspora, urging them to contribute their investment, expertise and networks to national development. Okengwu described the interaction as significant, providing an opportunity to discuss Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), diaspora participation in national development, and the challenges confronting Nigerians abroad who bring their capital, expertise, and business interests back home.
According to Okengwu, what stood out for her during the interaction was the Vice President’s willingness to listen to the concerns of investors and engage them directly on issues affecting their confidence in the Nigerian business environment. The conversation reinforced the importance of creating stronger institutional safeguards for Nigerians in the diaspora who invest their resources in the country. Okengwu emphasized that patriotism cannot replace investment protection.
The Winhomes CEO noted that the Federal Government’s efforts to attract diaspora capital would have 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.
Okengwu described her interaction with Shettima as significant because it gave her an opportunity to communicate what she described as 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.
Okengwu, however, said such engagements would have greater significance when they translated into policies and institutional reforms that improved the experience of investors. She also acknowledged the Federal Government’s development initiatives in the South-East, including the establishment of the South East Development Commission, saying the impact of such measures would ultimately be determined by their implementation.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s investment drive, Okengwu said attracting capital was only one part of the process, stressing that retaining investor confidence after investments had been made was equally important. She said Nigeria could strengthen its investment reputation when investors could point to concrete experiences of institutional support and protection.
Key points
- Vice President Kashim Shettima's engagement with diaspora investors at UNGA receives commendation from Winhomes CEO Stella Okengwu.
- Okengwu emphasizes the importance of creating stronger institutional safeguards for Nigerians in the diaspora who invest their resources in the country.
- The Winhomes CEO calls for diaspora engagement to go beyond remittances to encompass investment, entrepreneurship, technology transfer and professional expertise.
