Abuja, Nigeria – In a landmark move poised to revolutionize engagement with its global talent pool, the Nigerian government on 28th July 2025 launched the Bridging Research, Innovation, Development, and Global Engagement (BRIDGE) Diaspora Platform. This ambitious initiative, hailed as a national handshake across oceans, aims to connect Nigeria’s best minds abroad with tertiary institutions at home, transforming the nation’s “brain-drain” into a formidable “brain-gain.”
The Diaspora BRIDGE platform was unveiled at a vibrant event at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja. Vice President Kashim Shettima led the ceremony, joined by a host of distinguished dignitaries including Ministers of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and Yusuf Tuggar. Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah also represented the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, underscoring broad support for the initiative.
What the Initiative is All About
Developed through a robust collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Education and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the platform is seamlessly integrated with key agencies such as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), National Universities Commission (NUC), and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). Its core purpose is to connect Nigerian professionals and academics in the diaspora with the nation’s tertiary education and research institutions.
This aligns directly with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to leverage the extensive expertise of Nigerians abroad to propel national development in critical areas like education, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEM-M). The platform allows diaspora professionals to register, upload credentials, and specify areas of interest. Conversely, Nigerian institutions can conduct self-assessments, pinpoint research and teaching gaps, and request targeted collaborations. Key features include virtual seminar hosting, e-learning modules, collaboration tracking, a searchable directory of experts, and project life cycle monitoring, integrated with TETFund’s Tertiary Education, Research, Application and Services (TERAS).
Experts Weigh In: A Game-Changer for Research and Education
Research expert Dipo Awojide, a Senior Management Consultant in the United Kingdom, lauded the platform, stating in a video on X (formerly Twitter) that it offers a crucial opportunity for diaspora professionals to contribute to research. “I am really proud of the Minister of Education, Dr. Alausa, for introducing the Diaspora BRIDGE – a great initiative that will benefit the Nigerian education sector. I look forward to bringing my knowledge back home,” he remarked. He highlighted the potential for engagement with universities like the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), and others, citing his own experience in supervising PhD students as an example of potential contribution.
Dr. Bayo Adedewe, Special Adviser to the President on Diaspora Engagement, provided an overview, emphasizing that BRIDGE is anchored on President Tinubu’s vision to institutionalize diaspora contributions. “The idea is to tap into the immense potential of our professionals abroad and create a system that ensures their contributions are structured, impactful, and aligned with national priorities,” he explained.
Leadership Endorsements: Restored Trust, Renewed Partnership
Representing Vice President Shettima, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia described BRIDGE as “a symbol of restored trust, a framework for renewed partnership, and a strategic pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda.” He stressed that it’s a deliberate effort to reconnect Nigeria’s greatest asset – its people – globally. “We are saying to our diaspora: ‘You belong. You matter. You are needed. And we are saying to our institutions: You will no longer be left behind in the global conversation,’” he affirmed, adding that the platform will reverse years of fragmented engagement due to distance, bureaucracy, and mistrust.
Dr. Alausa further hailed the platform as a bold and transformative step to restore Nigeria’s intellectual capital and global partnerships. “Nigeria can no longer afford to watch its finest minds excel abroad while our institutions struggle at home. BRIDGE is a powerful response to that challenge. It’s a call to action and a national handshake across oceans,” he stated. He emphasized that the digital platform facilitates collaborative teaching, mentorship, joint research, capacity-building, and policy innovation, empowering institutions to match specific needs with global Nigerian expertise. “As someone who trained in Nigeria and excelled abroad, I understand the importance of giving back. BRIDGE is our answer to turning brain-drain into brain-gain,” he added.
NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended the Ministry of Education for this “game-changer.” “This initiative is not just a digital hub, it’s a national bridge,” she remarked, urging the diaspora to share knowledge, mentor, organize workshops, and offer scholarships. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, described it as a necessary ideological shift that will strengthen education and reduce migration pressure, while Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, saw it as a step toward deepening trust. Minister of Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, deemed the program “timely and strategic.”
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah echoed these sentiments, calling BRIDGE “an urgent call to reconnect our diaspora with our local institutions.” He highlighted its design to match diaspora expertise with local institutional needs, fostering targeted collaborations aligned with Nigeria’s development goals.
The launch of the Diaspora BRIDGE platform marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s quest to harness its human capital globally, setting the stage for a new era of collaboration and national advancement.
For more information about the Diaspora BRIDGE program, Click Here!
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