ABUJA—The House of Representatives has slated for second reading a Bill seeking to establish a special Commission for Nigerians living and working abroad.

The Bill is sponsored by Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Rep. Abike Dabiri-Erewa and 16 other members of the Committee.

The Commission when established will mobilize Nigerians living in foreign countries under one productive umbrella.
Some of the functions of the Commission will be to provide a data bank of Nigerians abroad and mid-stream their efforts towards nation building.

The legislation states in part that “It is a designated Commission in Nigeria charged with the responsibility of coordinating and providing an organised system of collaborations of Nigerians in Diaspora for their contributions by identifying, preserving and mobilizing the human, capital and material resources and expertise to the general development of Nigeria”.

The Commission seeks to establish a board that will comprise of a Chairman that possesses “not less than 15 years experience in Public Service”, with a representative each from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerian Embassies, Consulates and Missions qualified in that regard for not less than ten years, and employed in the Civil Service, not below the rank of a Director”.