Diaspora Is Africa’s Bridge to Global Opportunities, Dabiri-Erewa Tells Tech Leaders in Silicon Valley
Oru Leonard
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. (Dr.) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged Africans living abroad to embrace their role as a vital link between the continent and the rest of the world, describing them as “Africa’s bridge to global opportunity.”
Speaking as a special guest at the 2026 Black Engineering Week (BEW) in San Jose, California, themed “Africans in Diaspora as Bridge Builders,” Dabiri-Erewa called on African professionals in the diaspora to channel their expertise, investments and global influence toward accelerating innovation and development across Africa.
Addressing engineers, entrepreneurs, investors and technology leaders gathered in Silicon Valley, she challenged the long-standing narrative of “brain drain,” insisting that the African diaspora represents “brain gain” and “brain circulation,” with its members contributing significantly to global technological advancement while creating opportunities for growth on the continent.
“You live in two worlds and refuse to choose. You connect them. That is engineering at its highest level,” she told participants.
Dabiri-Erewa identified talent, capital and credibility as the three major areas where Africans in the diaspora are making significant impact. She noted that although Black and African engineers remain underrepresented in Silicon Valley, they are among those developing technologies shaping the future.
She disclosed that NiDCOM is partnering with state governments and diaspora organisations to verify Nigerian talent, promote remote work opportunities and simplify recruitment processes for global companies seeking skilled professionals from Nigeria.
On the economic front, the NiDCOM boss said diaspora remittances, if strategically directed into productive sectors, could become a major catalyst for industrialisation, entrepreneurship, climate technology and venture capital development across Nigeria and Africa.
She also highlighted the growing influence of Nigerians and other Africans occupying leadership positions in global technology companies, noting that their achievements continue to enhance Africa’s reputation while inspiring the next generation of innovators.
Dabiri-Erewa urged members of the diaspora to deliberately mentor young professionals, create employment opportunities and invest in emerging entrepreneurs. She also challenged African governments to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks and create business-friendly environments capable of attracting greater diaspora participation in national development.
The NiDCOM Chairman further advocated stronger partnerships between Silicon Valley institutions and African universities through internships, research collaborations, fellowships and innovation programmes aimed at unlocking opportunities for Africa’s population of over 1.4 billion people.
According to her, Africa is well positioned to produce not only the world’s next billion digital users but also the engineers and innovators who will develop future technological solutions.
The conference featured a Founders Showcase sponsored by Adobe in partnership with San Jose State University and the Black Engineers Network. The event brought together engineers, investors and innovators for startup exhibitions, panel discussions and diaspora-focused engagements.
President of the Black Engineers Association, Folarin Erogbogbo, said the initiative was designed to accelerate Black-led innovation, culminating in a Founder Demo Showcase and judging competition where selected entrepreneurs pitched their startups before a panel of judges.
On the sidelines of the conference, Dabiri-Erewa also met with the Supervisor of Santa Clara County, who expressed interest in exploring partnerships with Nigerian cities, particularly in the healthcare sector, as part of efforts to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation between both regions.
