Nigerian missions in the U.S. held a virtual town hall meeting on Sunday with Nigerians across the country to address diaspora concerns and counter online misinformation.
Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States convened a virtual town hall meeting on Sunday, August 11, 2025, engaging with dozens of Nigerians nationwide to address pressing diaspora concerns and counter online misinformation. Hundreds tuned in between 7 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. (New York time), well beyond the scheduled 9 p.m. start.
Acting Ambassador Samson Itegboje announced that both New York and Atlanta consulates now each possess a passport printer, while Washington, D.C. operates two—marking a significant improvement over the prior system of rotating printers. He regretted, “Nigerians apply for passports, visas, and other consular services at the last hours and want us to do magic.”
Ambassador Itegboje emphasised the mission’s intent: “This meeting is to hear Nigerians out, know their problems and seek ways to address them. We have been improving in our service delivery. We’ve been having good reviews, and we will continue to improve.” He reaffirmed that Nigeria’s “4Ds” foreign policy doctrine—democracy, development, demography, and diaspora—places high importance on engaging the diaspora community.
Consul General Abubakar Jidda of New York warned against destructive criticism, noting: “Whatever name you give your country is the name others will call it.” He encouraged mutual understanding: “Nigerians should help us to help them.” Meanwhile, Atlanta’s Consul General Auwalu Namadina stressed the value of ongoing dialogue, declaring, “Fixing Nigeria is not for some, but for everybody,” and pledged to address all raised concerns.