NiDCOM Chairman Condoles With Family Over Death of Maryam Murtala

The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has mourned the death of Canadian-based Nigerian community leader and business advocate, Maryam Murtala, describing her as a “rare gem”.

Dabiri-Erewa, in a condolence message issued by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, described Murtala’s death as a great loss to Nigeria’s diaspora community.

She said Murtala was a builder of people, a bridge between Nigeria and Canada, and a shining light for Nigerians abroad.According to her, Murtala, who founded Canada Vendors, played a key role in the success of the first Nigerian Diaspora Economic Summit held in Canada in August 2026.

Dabiri-Erewa said the summit would not have achieved its success without Murtala’s “tireless efforts, hard work and passion”.

She noted that Murtala ensured that the voices of vendors, women and small business owners were heard and celebrated.

“Maryam, who founded the brand Canada Vendors, was a builder of people, a bridge between two nations, and a shining light for Nigerians in the diaspora,” she said.

Read Also: Washington Meeting: NDC Rep Candidate, Diasporans Meet Peter Obi, Demand Credible Polls

The NiDCOM boss said Murtala believed that Nigerians in the diaspora should not only speak but also serve their communities, adding that she demonstrated the principle throughout her life.

“We have lost a sister, a leader and a patriot. But her legacy will live on in every vendor she empowered, every business she supported, and every life she touched, including mine,” Dabiri-Erewa said.

Dabiri-Erewa recalled that she had known Murtala for more than two years, describing her as an “amazing and selfless personality, beautiful inside and out”.

She extended condolences to Murtala’s family, Canada Vendors and the Nigerian community in Canada on behalf of NiDCOM and the Nigeria Government.

Dabiri-Erewa also prayed to Allah to forgive Murtala’s shortcomings, accept her good deeds, grant her family and loved ones the strength to bear the loss, and admit her into Al-Jannah Firdaus.

“Rest in peace, Maryam. Your memory and legacy lives on,” she said.

Murtala, a lawyer by profession, was a community leader and business advocate who founded Canada Vendors to market, advertise and promote Nigerian-owned businesses in Canada to a global audience.

Until her death, she served as Public Relations Director of the Network of Nigerians in Canada (NNC) and Founder/CEO of Canada Vendors. She also served as Head of Media and Marketing for the first Nigerian Diaspora Economic Conference held in Canada in August 2026.