United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) have pledged closer collaboration to channel diaspora capital into Nigeria’s economy, following a strategic meeting at UBA’s London office.
The meeting, held on Monday, focused on leveraging UBA’s newly launched Diaspora Banking platform to transform remittance flows into structured, long-term investment. UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, emphasised the bank’s role as a bridge for global Nigerians, stating the platform provides integrated services for banking, investment, and managing financial obligations back home.
“With UBA, you have a financial partner that understands your journey and supports your aspirations, both abroad and at home,” Alawuba said. He noted the significant returns available in Africa and UBA’s readiness to help the diaspora navigate these opportunities through its global network.
NiDCOM’s Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended UBA’s initiative, urging a shift towards celebrating success stories of Nigerians abroad. She described the engagement as a critical step in aligning public and private sector efforts to deepen diaspora inclusion in Nigeria’s development agenda, promising closer policy collaboration to encourage active diaspora participation in economic growth.
Discussions highlighted UBA’s capacity to facilitate cross-border payments, unlock high-yield investments, and connect diaspora enterprises to African markets. The bank, operating in 20 African countries plus the UK, US, France, and UAE, serves over 45 million customers and positions itself as a key conduit for engaging with the continent’s economy.
The partnership signals a targeted push to move diaspora engagement beyond remittances toward wealth creation, aiming to harness external capital for national development.
