Nigerian Diaspora Remittances Boost The Economy And Power Growth At Home, As We Peek Into Their Kitchens In Europe
The Oasis Reporters
May 6, 2025
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With the Nigerian Diaspora Remittances probably crossing the $20 billion mark unofficially, and in expressing our thanks to the enablers, we at The Oasis Reporters decided to explore the family member in Europe to the family member in Nigeria financial connections and how this has powered growth.
We called up some select members of the Nigerian Diaspora to let us into their beautiful kitchens, replete with amazing foodstuffs from the Nigerian markets. It’s surprising what we found.
What do you guys eat in Europe and how do you guys manage your Nigerian physique with your diet ?
The answers we got were astonishing.
“”Personally, I only eat Nigerian foods, purchased directly from the home markets in Nigeria. It costs me millions of naira in Nigerian currency every month but I really don’t mind”. It’s worth it. European foods are kobo kobo here but I prefer to spend millions at home in Nigeria for food because I know it helps”, Miss Ire Bello told us from Denmark where she is a medical practitioner having stayed in Europe for very many years.
There are shops and markets all over Europe that cater to Nigerian foods and tastes.
But many call their family members to make direct purchases and ship directly via courier services that often cost more.
Sourcing foodstuffs from the markets in Lagos, Benin City, Asaba, Nnewi, Owerri, Kano, Maiduguri, Ibadan, Aba, Onitsha etc does cost a lot of money in courier or shipment costs before arriving in homes and kitchens of the Diaspora community.
It’s amazing.
We also found Milo, Ovaltine, Lipton tea etc that are produced world wide. But the Nigerian diaspora prefer the Cocoa flavour in the ones produced at home.
An average Nigerian diasporan spends millions of naira every month in home remittances for the sourcing and
.purchase of these food items which are flown to destinations in London, UK, the Netherlands, Rome, Sweden, Germany, France etc and all over Europe before finding it’s way into the various kitchens of Nigerian families.
The millions of naira sent home has helped in lifting many homes out of desperate poverty and this has encouraged greater productivity and spreads more joy to Nigerian faces back on the homeland.
annual remittances of about $60b, which translates to about 14% of our total GDP. -PO#POinHouston
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) August 31, 2022
If it can be properly arranged, shipping containers that land in the ports at Apapa, Tin Can, Onne etc need not go back to Europe empty or abandoned in Nigeria.
They can take back foodstuffs for Nigerian palates in Europe.
. Economically speaking, with $20 billion in remittances in 2021, Nigeria ranks 6th behind the top five recipient countries. Expert assessments are indicative that given the huge Nigerians in Diaspora population, the country has the potentials of receiving from the Diaspora, annual remittances of about $60b, which translates to about 14% of our total GDP. -PO
Imagine the level of internal security in the US
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We are over one thousand people in this ballroom, @PeterObi greeted everybody seated. Humble!!#POinHouston pic.twitter.com/4ehrbtjOnx
— Olabanji Kareem (@olabanjiikareem) August 31, 2022
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Something can be done about the security situation in Nigeria and this will increase productivity and the earning power of Nigerian farmers as well as food processors for export to the huge diaspora population in Europe.
Many thanks to the Nigerian diaspora community that let us into their kitchens to obtain the photos in this post
Greg Abolo
gregabolo@gmail.com
