The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Channels Media Group, Dr. John Momoh, has urged Nigerians living abroad to remain optimistic about the country’s future and continue contributing to its development.

He made the call on Saturday while speaking at the 9th National Diaspora Day and the 4th National Diaspora Merit Awards (NDMA) 2026, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Encouraging young Nigerians to maximise their potential, Momoh said every individual possesses untapped greatness waiting to be awakened.

“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.

The media executive congratulated recipients of the 2026 National Diaspora Merit Awards and urged Nigerians everywhere to keep faith in the country despite its challenges.

“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.

The Channels TV CEO further commended the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) for its efforts in engaging Nigerians abroad and applauded its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for her leadership.

He also praised the theme of this year’s summit, describing it as timely and well-conceived, noting that he would later deliver a keynote address on healthcare and the role of Nigerians in the diaspora in strengthening the country’s health sector.

At Friday’s commencement of the event, President Bola Tinubu called on Nigerian medical doctors and other healthcare professionals in the diaspora to return home and lend their expertise to the ongoing transformation of the nation’s healthcare sector.

The ninth National Diaspora Day and fourth National Diaspora Merit Awards took place from July 24 to 25, 2026, under the theme, “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development”.

Organised by NiDCOM, the annual event celebrates Nigerians living abroad who have made significant contributions to the country’s social, economic and professional development while promoting stronger collaboration between the diaspora and Nigeria’s critical sectors, particularly healthcare. (Channels TV)

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