The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) is offering Nigerians living abroad mortgage loans of up to ₦100 million as part of efforts to attract diaspora investment into the country’s housing sector.
The initiative seeks to convert financial resources held by Nigerians abroad into long-term housing investments while addressing the trust deficit that has discouraged diaspora participation.
FMBN Managing Director and Chief Executive, Shehu Usman Osidi, disclosed the details on Tuesday while delivering a keynote address at the 9th Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS) 2026 in Abuja.
Osidi said the early response to the NHF Diaspora Mortgage Loan, launched in London on August 7, 2026, showed that Nigerians abroad were willing to invest in domestic housing when credible institutions and structured financing arrangements were available.
The mortgage product targets eligible Nigerians aged between 18 and 70 years living abroad.
It allows participants to make monthly contributions of $100, $200 or $300 under three categories: Basic, Classic and Premium.
Under the arrangement, Basic contributors become eligible to apply for mortgage financing after 24 months. Classic and Premium contributors qualify after 18 months and 12 months, respectively.
Eligible participants can access mortgage loans of up to ₦100 million, subject to affordability and other applicable requirements.
The facility requires a 10 per cent equity contribution and offers repayment periods of up to 10 years.
FMBN Introduces Structures To Protect Diaspora Investors
Osidi said the bank developed the product to address challenges Nigerians abroad face when trying to own homes in Nigeria.
These include difficulties accessing suitable mortgage facilities, verifying property transactions and monitoring investments from overseas.
He explained that FMBN’s approach involved more than introducing another mortgage product. The bank also sought to establish institutional and financial structures that would make diaspora participation in the National Housing Fund (NHF) more transparent, accessible and secure.
According to him, FMBN engaged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to address regulatory and operational requirements for receiving and managing contributions from Nigerians abroad.
The engagement covered regulatory approval, the identification and recommendation of suitable International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs), and arrangements for opening a dedicated account with the CBN to receive and hold the funds.
FMBN also established a Global Business Strategic Unit as a specialised business unit responsible for overseeing diaspora operations.
The unit will coordinate customer engagement, institutional oversight and service delivery throughout the contribution and mortgage application process.
NiDCOM Identifies Trust Deficit As Investment Barrier
The initiative comes as the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) seeks stronger institutional safeguards and credible investment opportunities to attract more diaspora capital into Nigeria.
NiDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said Nigerians abroad possessed substantial financial, professional, entrepreneurial and intellectual resources.
She said these resources could support Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy if institutions properly mobilised and protected them.
Dabiri-Erewa explained that the commission was working to move diaspora engagement beyond remittances and general advocacy towards structured investment opportunities across key sectors.
She described Nigerians abroad as an important economic force whose contributions extended beyond the billions of dollars they remit annually to support families and households.
Their financial resources, international networks, professional expertise and entrepreneurial experience, she said, could support productive investments, job creation and economic growth.
However, she identified knowledge gaps and a lack of trust as major obstacles to attracting more diaspora investment.
According to her, some Nigerians abroad have suffered losses through informal investment channels, fraudulent schemes, opaque transactions and unreliable project promoters.
She also identified inadequate access to verifiable project information and uncertainty about investment credibility as factors discouraging potential investors.
“Unlocking diaspora capital requires more than passion or patriotism; it demands institutional transparency, robust regulatory safeguards, verified service providers and clear investor protection frameworks,” she said.
Dabiri-Erewa said government institutions, regulators, financial organisations and private operators must demonstrate transparency and accountability to rebuild confidence.
Summit Focuses On Investment Opportunities And Protection
The 2026 summit was designed to give Nigerians abroad direct access to institutions responsible for regulating Nigeria’s financial, capital and infrastructure markets.
The two-day engagement covered capital market opportunities, infrastructure investment and regulatory frameworks.
Discussions also addressed regulated financial instruments, risk disclosures, investment procedures, public-private partnerships, business registration, anti-fraud measures and property documentation.
Participating institutions included the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), CBN, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
Other participating agencies included the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians abroad to avoid informal and unverified investment arrangements and use recognised government and regulated financial channels.
She said the Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, was committed to improving the investment environment and expanding diaspora participation in economic development.
She also urged regulatory agencies, financial institutions and vetted service providers to demonstrate the transparency needed to rebuild investor confidence.
The NiDCOM chief executive explained that organisers adopted a focused virtual and hybrid format for the 2026 engagement because of the national election campaign season.
The programme will also prepare stakeholders for the 10th anniversary edition scheduled for 2027.
Osidi Calls For Stronger Investor Protection
Osidi identified information gaps, weak investment governance and fraudulent property transactions as major obstacles to diaspora investment.
He also cited disputed land titles, abandoned projects and the mismanagement of invested funds.
According to him, many prospective investors lack independently verified information about investment opportunities, their financial viability and associated risks.
Some rely on informal recommendations, family connections and intermediaries whose credentials and interests are difficult to establish.
He further identified Nigeria’s complex regulatory and administrative processes as barriers to investment.
These include multiple approval requirements, inconsistent documentation, taxation and uncertainty surrounding the repatriation of funds.
Exchange-rate volatility and international money transfer costs also influence investment decisions.
Osidi said investors needed convenient and regulated channels for transferring funds, proper documentation and evidence that their money had been received and deployed for the agreed purposes.
He added that credible accountability, enforcement and dispute-resolution mechanisms were equally important.
“Trust is not created by patriotic appeals or investment promotion campaigns. It is built through institutions, transparent processes, regulatory assurance, effective supervision and demonstrable accountability,” he said.
The FMBN managing director said Nigeria’s challenge was no longer simply attracting diaspora capital but creating conditions that would make investments accessible, secure and sustainable.
He described Nigerians abroad as an important source of capital, professional expertise, international business networks, technology and entrepreneurial experience.
Beyond housing, he identified agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, infrastructure, renewable energy, transportation, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, education and technology as sectors with investment potential.
Other opportunities include the capital market, government securities and structured investment vehicles.
FMBN Chief Highlights Government Investment Reforms
Osidi acknowledged government efforts to improve Nigeria’s investment climate through the Ease of Doing Business reforms coordinated by PEBEC, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
He said reforms introduced under the Business Facilitation Act 2023 seek to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks, simplify business registration and licensing, improve regulatory transparency and reduce business costs.
He also highlighted the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission’s One Stop Investment Centre, which brings together 17 government agencies to facilitate investor services.
According to him, the centre helps investors navigate government procedures and reduce the difficulties associated with dealing with multiple institutions.
Osidi also cited the implementation of the National Single Window initiative and foreign exchange market reforms as steps towards creating a more transparent investment environment.
However, he called for sustained implementation and deliberate efforts to ensure Nigerians abroad benefit from the reforms.
He proposed a coordinated national diaspora investment framework, with NiDCOM serving as the central coordination platform.
The framework, he said, should assign clear responsibilities to ministries, departments and agencies, regulators, financial institutions and private sector operators.
He also advocated a national repository of investment-ready projects.
Under the proposal, projects seeking diaspora capital would undergo due diligence before being presented to prospective investors.
The platform should provide independently verifiable information about project ownership, promoters, costs, funding requirements, expected returns, risks and implementation timelines.
On investor protection, Osidi called for stronger land administration and title verification systems.
He also advocated effective regulation of property developers and investment intermediaries, transparent contracts, enforceable project milestones and accessible dispute-resolution mechanisms.
He urged deeper collaboration among banks, IMTOs, capital market operators and other regulated institutions to make international transfers more efficient and affordable.
Technology, he said, should help remove physical barriers through digital onboarding, electronic documentation, secure payment platforms, online project monitoring and responsive customer support.
Osidi also urged state governments to identify bankable projects and provide the land, infrastructure, regulatory support and investment information needed to attract diaspora capital.
He said partnerships involving state governments, credible private developers, institutional investors, professional associations and diaspora-owned businesses could expand investment opportunities beyond Federal Government initiatives.
“The ultimate objective should be to create an environment in which a Nigerian living abroad can identify an opportunity, independently verify its credibility, invest through a recognised channel, monitor performance and obtain appropriate redress without being disadvantaged by distance,” he said.
NDIS Coordinator Seeks Stronger Institutional Collaboration
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Summit Organising Committee and NDIS Coordinator, Mobolaji Lewis, called for stronger institutional collaboration and transparent investment processes.
He said concerns about investment credibility, regulatory procedures, project execution and financial accountability continued to discourage Nigerians abroad from investing in the country.
Speaking at the summit’s opening session, Lewis said the challenge was not necessarily a lack of interest or financial capacity among Nigerians in the diaspora.
Rather, he identified concerns about the transparency and reliability of available investment opportunities.
He said addressing these issues required mechanisms that would enable prospective investors to identify, independently verify and participate in credible projects.
Lewis described the annual summit as an important platform connecting Nigerians abroad with domestic investment opportunities, government institutions, financial organisations and other stakeholders.
He explained that organisers scaled down the physical summit because of the national election campaign season but retained the virtual engagement to sustain diaspora investment discussions.
The programme provided access to institutions and experts on investment pathways, project financing, public-private partnerships, regulatory compliance, due diligence, risk management and investor protection.
Lewis said regulatory agencies and financial institutions must work together because no single organisation could independently address all investor concerns.
“No single organisation can independently address all the concerns of prospective investors,” he said.
He urged participating institutions and panellists to make their presentations practical, transparent and responsive to diaspora investors’ concerns.
He also encouraged prospective investors to ask questions, seek clarification and engage directly with institutions responsible for facilitating and regulating investments.
According to Lewis, the summit’s success should not be measured only by attendance or presentations but also by the quality of engagements, investor confidence and partnerships emerging from the discussions.
He said the 2026 engagement would provide a foundation for the full Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit in 2027, marking the platform’s 10th anniversary.
The 9th NDIS was organised by the Nigeria Diaspora Summit Initiative in collaboration with NiDCOM under the theme, “Bridging the Trust Gap: Connecting Diaspora Capital with Credible Home-Based Opportunities.”
Osidi reaffirmed FMBN’s commitment to improving institutional arrangements and expanding access to affordable housing finance through products such as the NHF Diaspora Mortgage Loan.
He said unlocking diaspora investment required collective responsibility, with government institutions providing policy consistency, effective regulation and credible investor protection.
