August 10, 2026
By Ebunoluwa Sessou
The newly elected Chairman of the Nigerian Community Greater Manchester (NCGM), Otunba Dele Bashiru-Kaka, has unveiled an ambitious development agenda aimed at strengthening diaspora contributions to Nigeria and promoting youth development, welfare and institutional accountability.
Bashiru-Kaka, who succeeds Otunba Abiola Kumoye, said his administration would establish stronger partnerships with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework and other development agencies to create practical channels through which Nigerian professionals in Manchester could contribute investments, technology and human capital to critical development programmes.
He said the new administration would focus on transforming the Nigerian diaspora community from a largely social network into a strategic development partner capable of contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s socio-economic advancement.
“Our administration will be anchored on a united leadership rooted in quality, inclusivity, and a shared unity of purpose,” Bashiru-Kaka said.
He stressed that constitutional governance, transparency and accountability would guide the administration’s relationships with international institutions and development agencies.
According to him, the new NCGM development blueprint would be built around four major pillars, including global partnerships, youth and talent circulation, structured local welfare and institutional stewardship.
On global partnerships, Bashiru-Kaka said the administration would pursue renewed collaboration with NiDCOM, SDG-related institutions and other development agencies to facilitate sustainable demographic, economic and structural development projects.
He explained that such partnerships would provide opportunities for professionals in Manchester to channel their expertise, investments and technological innovations towards projects capable of producing measurable development outcomes.
The chairman also identified youth and talent circulation as a major priority of the administration, saying efforts would be made to develop educational, career and mentorship pipelines for younger members of the Nigerian community.
He said the initiative would seek to move beyond the traditional concept of “brain drain” towards “brain circulation”, where skilled Nigerians in the diaspora could transfer knowledge, build networks and contribute their expertise to development at home and abroad.
The youth and talent development agenda, he noted, aligns with SDGs 4 and 8, which focus on quality education, decent work and economic growth.
On welfare, Bashiru-Kaka promised to strengthen the community’s internal support systems, particularly for elderly Nigerians living in the diaspora.
He said the administration would develop more structured and dignified care mechanisms to ensure that elderly community members receive appropriate support, reflecting the objectives of SDG 3, which promotes good health and well-being.
The fourth pillar, institutional stewardship, will focus on strengthening accountability within the community’s leadership.
According to Bashiru-Kaka, his administration plans to introduce open financial frameworks, audited performance metrics and direct community feedback mechanisms to improve transparency and ensure that members can effectively monitor the organisation’s activities.
He said the approach would support the principles of SDG 16, which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions.
Bashiru-Kaka expressed confidence that the new administration would unite members of the Nigerian community in Greater Manchester around a common development agenda while strengthening its contribution to Nigeria’s growth.
He called for the support and participation of professionals, young people, community leaders and other stakeholders, stressing that collective action would be critical to translating the new blueprint into tangible results.
