The Nigeria Union, South Africa, on Friday in Pretoria said it was intensifying efforts to have a database that would have the accurate number of Nigerians living there.
The union’s President, Mr Adetola Olubajo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that though a similar exercise had been done in the past, the union needed to get the correct figure.
“In the past, there was no database of Nigerians in South Africa. But in 2015, the union launched an Identity Card project with the aim of knowing the number of Nigerians in South Africa.
“We have been able to gather the data on our people using the union’s structures in the nine provinces of South Africa.
“Our objective now is to get the accurate number of Nigerians in South Africa,’’ Olubajo said.
According to him, the union will need the assistance of the Nigerian mission to carry out a successful exercise.
“ We appeal to the Nigerian mission in South Africa to partner with us in this exercise. Data collected will provide necessary information about Nigerians, especially the professionals.
“Also, the Federal Government stands to benefit from the exercise because they can easily connect with the professionals to develop our country,’’ he said.
The president said that the data could be useful for the mission, especially when approval was given for Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote.
“It is also important to have the data because it can tell the story of our talents in South Africa,’’ Olubajo said.