The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Channels Media Group, Dr. John Momoh, has encouraged Nigerians in the diaspora to remain committed to the country’s progress, saying their continued support and confidence are vital to Nigeria’s future.
Gatekeepers News reports that Momoh spoke on Saturday at the 9th National Diaspora Day and the 4th National Diaspora Merit Awards (NDMA) 2026, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Addressing participants, he challenged young Nigerians to recognise and harness their hidden abilities, stressing that everyone has the capacity to achieve extraordinary success.
“I think that in each and every one of us, especially the youth among us today, there’s a lion sleeping. All we need to do is wake it up.
“Then we will see that the sky will not be the limit but the starting point for each and every one of us,” he added.
He also congratulated winners of the 2026 National Diaspora Merit Awards and encouraged Nigerians, regardless of where they live, to remain hopeful about the nation’s future.
“I just want to say that, believe in our country, Nigeria. This is the mecca of the black race. If by 2050 we’re going to be the third or fourth largest country in the world, there will be many challenges, but I think the prospects are greater than the challenges,” Momoh said.
Momoh further applauded the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) for strengthening ties with Nigerians overseas and commended its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for her leadership.
He described the theme of the 2026 summit as appropriate and forward-looking, adding that he would later deliver the keynote address focusing on healthcare and how Nigerians abroad can help improve the country’s health system.
The event followed Friday’s opening ceremony, where President Bola Tinubu appealed to Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals living overseas to return home and contribute their expertise to ongoing reforms in the nation’s healthcare sector.
The 2026 National Diaspora Day and National Diaspora Merit Awards were held from July 24 to 25 under the theme, “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development.”
Organised annually by NiDCOM, the programme recognises outstanding Nigerians in the diaspora for their contributions to national development while promoting stronger partnerships between overseas Nigerians and key sectors of the country’s economy, particularly healthcare.
