NIDCOM Registers Over 100,000 Nigerians Abroad

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NIDCOM Registers Over 100,000 Nigerians Abroad

The Nigerian Diaspora Data Mapping Initiative

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has made significant progress in tracking the country’s diaspora population. As of November 2025, over 100,000 Nigerians have been registered on the NIDCOM Diaspora Data Mapping Portal. This initiative is part of a broader effort to gather detailed demographic and socio-economic information about Nigerians living abroad.

The data was obtained by a correspondent and highlights the challenges faced in capturing comprehensive information about Nigeria’s estimated 17 million citizens residing overseas. Despite these challenges, the initiative has provided valuable insights into the distribution, skills, and professional profiles of registered Nigerians.

Launch and Objectives of the Initiative

Launched on June 29, 2021, the Diaspora Data Mapping initiative operates under the commission’s mandate and aligns with the National Diaspora Policy 2021. Its primary goal is to collect and analyze data that can inform policy decisions and support the needs of the Nigerian diaspora.

The portal is accessible online, allowing users to register and provide information about their background, profession, and location. This data helps in understanding the contributions of Nigerians abroad and identifying areas where support is needed.

Challenges in Data Collection

Despite its goals, the initiative has faced several challenges. Limited resources have hindered efforts to capture diaspora data comprehensively. As a result, the registered users represent only a small fraction of Nigerians living outside the country. This gap underscores the need for increased investment and outreach to ensure more accurate and inclusive data collection.

Regional Distribution of the Nigerian Diaspora

According to the data from NIDCOM, the largest concentration of Nigerians in the diaspora is found in Cameroon, which accounts for 6.699% of the total population, or approximately 1,139,504 individuals. Niger follows closely with 6.641%, totaling around 1,129,561 people. Sudan ranks third with 6.076%, representing about 1,033,464 Nigerians.

Other African countries with significant Nigerian communities include Ghana (4.963%), Benin (2.045%), and South Africa (2.388%). Libya hosts 1.334% (226,977), Senegal 1.546% (263,021), and Chad 1.174% (199,767) of the diaspora population.

Global Presence of the Nigerian Diaspora

Beyond Africa, the United Kingdom accommodates 4.835% of Nigerians abroad (822,415), followed by the United States at 4.589% (780,581) and Saudi Arabia at 4.582% (779,429). Canada hosts 3.873% (658,807), Egypt 3.198% (543,915), Germany 2.950% (501,778), France 2.941% (500,347), and India 2.909% (494,897).

Italy accounts for 2.614% (444,635), China 2.516% (427,902), Malaysia 1.128% (191,861), Qatar 1.059% (180,081), the Central African Republic 1.007% (171,229), and Turkey 0.833% (141,612). Other nations, including Brazil, Congo, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, the United Arab Emirates, and Kenya, each host between 1% and 1.6% of the Nigerian diaspora, with populations ranging from roughly 198,000 to over 281,000. Sierra Leone accounts for 0.882% of the diaspora (150,112). The remaining countries, collectively classified as “Others,” represent 18.956% of Nigerians abroad, totaling approximately 3,224,441 individuals worldwide.

Professional Profiles of the Nigerian Diaspora

The report also highlighted the professional backgrounds of the Nigerian diaspora. A large portion of them work in the healthcare sector. Nurses constitute 29.97% of registered professionals, followed by pharmacists at 14.0% and medical doctors at 12.03%. The education sector accounts for 12.0% of the diaspora population, while students make up 11.0%.

Engineers represent 8.0%, and civil servants account for 7.0%. Other professional categories, including leadership development and associate roles, each make up 1.0%. Sectors such as construction engineering, the airline industry, international non-governmental organisations, and medical physiology also contribute 1.0% each to the overall workforce.


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