In a significant display of international cooperation, Nigeria has welcomed back fourteen volunteers from Uganda and Gambia following the completion of their two-year engagement under the Nigerian Technical Aids Corps (NTAC) program.

Mr. Buba Yakubu, Director General of NTAC, received the volunteers in Abuja, highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to sharing its vast human and natural resources with fellow African nations in line with its foreign policy agenda. He emphasized that Nigeria would continue to deploy professionals across African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries for technical aid missions.

“We have all the manpower, and we will continue in the African spirit to share our abundant resources with fellow African, Caribbean, and Pacific nations,” said Yakubu. “Nigeria has specialists in every field, and we can offer our expertise either freely or for a fee, enhancing our international contributions.”

Yakubu praised the volunteers for upholding Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He noted that Nigeria remains unique in Africa for providing technical assistance services for over thirty years and affirmed the nation’s commitment to maintaining this support.

“While the UK has UK Aids, the US has USAID, and China has China Aid, Nigeria offers the Nigerian Technical Aid to aid human development and strengthen South-South cooperation in over forty countries,” he stated. “Our recent deployments and the successes of our volunteers continue to make Nigeria proud.”

Yakubu also shared insights from recent visits to Caribbean countries like Jamaica, Belize, Guyana, and Barbados, where Nigerian expertise is highly valued. He highlighted the cultural exchange, noting how Nigerian volunteers have influenced local practices, such as introducing the craft of batik making to Jamaica, which has now embraced its own version, “Jadire.”

Prof. Airat Sulaiman, a Development Psychologist and representative of the returning volunteers, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for the opportunity and commended NTAC’s support. She mentioned that some volunteers had even secured employment in their host institutions.

Dr. Chinwe Igin, another volunteer from Rivers State, praised the program for enabling them to serve humanity and vowed to apply their acquired knowledge in Nigeria.

The NTAC program, running for over thirty-seven years, continues to strengthen Nigeria’s international presence. Among the fourteen returning volunteers, thirteen served in Uganda, and one in The Gambia.