President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerian medical professionals in the diaspora to encourage more colleagues abroad to return home and support national development.

Mr Tinubu made the appeal on Friday while receiving members of the Nigerian Diaspora Medical Associations at the State House, Abuja.

The delegation was led by the Director-General of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Drawing from his personal experience, the president said studying and working in the United States before returning home shaped his conviction that Nigeria remained the best place to serve.

“I’ve been through that journey. I’m home, and I can tell you, there’s nowhere like home.

“I’ve experienced being in America and taken the best of America in my chosen profession of accountancy and finance,” he said.

Mr Tinubu recalled his early career in Chicago before returning to Nigeria to contribute to national development.

“Since I came back from Mobil to now, it has been a very good challenge to commit and endure the possibility of turning Nigeria around,” he said.

The president urged the visiting doctors to persuade more Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad to return home.

“My friends who are still there, try to attract them home. The best way to demonstrate that is for me to commit myself to the Renewed Hope Agenda, so Nigerians can realise better education, development and prosperity,” he said.

Mr Tinubu described the contributions of diaspora doctors as invaluable to building a stronger future for the country.

“Your children will see the foundation of this country as belonging to them, and the future belonging to them is what we are working hard for. Your coming to help is immeasurable,” he said.

The president reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fighting poverty and improving citizens’ welfare.

“Poverty is not acceptable. We won’t accept it. We will fight it. We will bring prosperity. We will bring care to our people,” he said.

Earlier, Mrs Dabiri-Erewa expressed the commitment of the visiting healthcare professionals to deploy their expertise and contribute their quota to the Renewed Hope national healthcare delivery master plan.

Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Health, said the commitment of the diaspora medical professionals had further validated the power and the reach of the Renewed Hope Agenda in the health sector.

“What we are seeing today further demonstrates that you are not only renewing the hope of Nigerians in Nigeria but, even Nigerians outside Nigeria are feeling the agenda,” he said.

Friday’s visit is part of the celebrations for the 2026 National Diaspora Day at the State House.

The event, organised by NiDCOM, has the theme, “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development.” 

(NAN)