Did you know? Nearly 30% of registered Nigerians abroad are nurses—making healthcare the top sector for the diaspora. New data reveals more!
Over 60,000 Nigerians living abroad have registered on the Diaspora Data Mapping Portal, a flagship initiative by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) designed to capture critical demographic and professional information about citizens overseas. Launched in June 2021, the portal aims to integrate the diaspora into Nigeria’s national development plans—and the latest data reveals fascinating trends about where Nigerians are based and what they do.
Healthcare Leads the Way
A deep dive into the statistics shows that Nigerians abroad are making waves in healthcare, with:
- Nurses making up 29.97% of registered professionals
- Pharmacists at 14%
- Medical doctors accounting for 12.03%
Combined, healthcare workers represent over 56% of the registered diaspora—a testament to Nigeria’s strong presence in global medical fields.
Education, Engineering, and Civil Service Follow
Beyond healthcare, other key sectors include:
- Education (12%) – Teachers, lecturers, and researchers
- Students (11%) – Nigerians pursuing academic opportunities abroad
- Engineers (8%) – Spanning various technical disciplines
- Civil servants (7%) – Nigerians working in government roles overseas
Smaller but notable representations include professionals in construction, aviation, NGOs, and medical physiology, each contributing 1% to the total.
Where Are Nigerians Located?
The data also highlights migration patterns and historical ties, with surprising leaders in registration:
- Cameroon (6.69%)
- Niger (6.64%)
- Sudan (6.07%)
These figures suggest strong regional mobility within Africa, likely influenced by economic, cultural, and historical connections.
Meanwhile, traditional diaspora hubs also feature prominently:
- Ghana (~5%)
- UK (4.83%)
- USA (4.58%)
- Saudi Arabia (4.58%)
- Canada (3.87%)
Other countries with sizable Nigerian communities include Germany, France, South Africa, UAE, and China, while 19.13% of registrations came from unspecified nations—showing just how globally dispersed Nigerians are.
Why This Matters
NiDCOM’s initiative is more than just a census—it’s a strategic tool to:
âś” Leverage diaspora expertise for national development
âś” Identify investment and skills-transfer opportunities
âś” Strengthen engagement with Nigerians worldwide
With 60,000 and counting, the database is growing, but there’s still a long way to go. Nigeria’s diaspora is estimated at over 17 million—meaning this portal could become an even more powerful resource as registrations increase.