APA-Moscow (Russia) Nigerians observed their Diaspora Day discussing extensively on strategic measures to be adopted in order to explore the enormous emerging business potentials and economic opportunities that they consider useful for the economy of Nigeria, APA learnt in Moscow on Friday.

The event is organized, for the first time, by the Russian chapter of Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation in Europe-Russia (NIDOE-Russia), in collaboration with the Russian Chamber of Commerce and the Nigerian-Russian Business Council.

The forum brought together Russian industry executive directors, business investors, academics and Nigerian professionals as well as cultural artists and the media.

The theme was “Working Together for a Better Nigeria-Russia Business Cooperation : Opportunities and Perspectives”.

The chairman of NIDOE-Russia, Bashir Obasekola, explained that Nigerian Diaspora Day is an annual event initiated by the federal government of Nigeria since 2006 for all Nigerian professionals.

The day is part of the efforts of the Nigerian government to mobilize and encourage the participation of the Nigerian Diaspora in the country’s development process.

A member of NIDOE-Europe Board of Trustees, Ayo Ojajune, highlighted that about 20 million Nigerians live outside their country and monetary remittances amounted to US$7 billion last year alone.

Ojajune announced that over 60 Nigerian Diaspora organizations will be meeting early next year in London to brainstorm on strategies for productive integration into national development process.

The chairman of Business Council Russia-Nigeria, Albert Bakov, believes that NIDOE-Russia and his business council will help greatly to further develop the mutual cooperation both in the private and public sectors between the two countries.

For his part, the Nigerian ambassador to Moscow, Major-General (rtd) Timothy Mai Shelpidi, said the conference provided the chance for Nigerians in Russia who had acquired skills, experiences, knowledge and resources to engage their Russian partners for the development of Nigeria.