Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP),
says if elected president, he would turn Nigeria’s brain drain to gain.
Obi is currently outside the country interacting with
Nigerians in diaspora ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“Brain drain” is a situation in which large numbers of
educated and very skilled people leave their own country to live and work in
another one where pay and conditions are better.
In a series of tweets on Wednesday, the former Anambra
governor said the country is yet to fully harness the huge benefits of its
citizens living abroad.
He said beyond their vital roles of sending foreign
remittances back home, the diaspora were increasingly critical in advancing
technology and skill transfer, strengthening democracy, opening up global
supply chains, trade and foreign direct investment, education and research, as
well as healthcare delivery.
“As we explore ways and means of tapping in on technology
transfer from the diaspora, we will also explore ways of reversing the enormous
brain drain that has been debilitating for our country,” he tweeted.
“Like India, Nigeria, should be able to tap her huge
diaspora human resource to ensure technology transfer home. We will trigger
every known technological and knowledge transfer initiators. Nigeria’s brain
drain will be turned into brain gain.”
According to him, it will take only one “visionary
leadership and disruptive thinker” for Nigeria to be put back on the right
trajectory.
He said with a robust diaspora support, his administration
would accomplish this feat, if elected.
“First, with $20 billion in remittances in 2021, Nigeria
ranks 6th behind the top five recipient countries. Expert assessments are
indicative that given the huge Nigerians in diaspora population, the country
has the potentials of receiving from the diaspora, annual remittances of about
$60b, which translates to about 14% of our total GDP,” he added.
“I see diaspora remittances as the new normal and becoming
Nigeria’s Official Development Assistance (ODA). In 2021 Nigeria’s foreign
direct investment (FDI) was a paltry $4.8 billion compared to diaspora
remittances.”
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