The Federal Government has unveiled plans to integrate more than 50,000 Nigerian doctors, alongside thousands of other healthcare professionals in the diaspora, into the country’s health workforce through the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (DHII) 2026.
The initiative was announced during the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebration held on Friday at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The event was themed, “Harnessing Global Diaspora Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, said the Federal Government regards the Nigerian diaspora as a critical component of its strategy to strengthen the country’s health workforce.
He explained that the DHII would focus on direct engagement with health professionals through knowledge transfer, specialist medical outreach, capacity building, clinical mentorship, research collaboration, and broader health workforce development.
According to Enikanolaiye, early interventions under the initiative are already improving access to healthcare services and enhancing service delivery standards.
“The diaspora remains one of Nigeria’s most strategic assets, serving as a bridge for diplomacy, technology transfer, and global partnership well beyond remittances and investment,” he said.
He added that connecting Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad with medical facilities at home would help bridge critical staffing gaps and advance the country’s drive towards universal health coverage.
