By Joel Ajayi

The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) has strengthened Nigeria’s international influence by deploying skilled professionals to countries in need of technical expertise, while creating opportunities for knowledge transfer and human-capital development.

The Director-General of NTAC, Yusuf Buba Yakub, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a media interaction to mark his third anniversary in office and highlight the achievements of the agency under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Yakub said the Technical Aid Corps Scheme had evolved from a manpower-support initiative into an important instrument of Nigeria’s foreign policy, soft-power diplomacy and professional development.

He explained that Nigeria had continued to derive value from the deployment of its professionals abroad through the expertise, international exposure, relationships and knowledge gained from the programme.

“Nigeria didn’t lose a dime on volunteers sent to over 40 countries. Instead, we are gaining expertise, training others, gaining confidence and gaining a big name for Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria possesses abundant human resources capable of contributing meaningfully to the development of other countries.

“We send volunteers to fill the gaps. Nigeria has abundant human resources,” he added.

Established in 1987, NTAC has deployed more than 10,000 Nigerian professionals to over 40 countries across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The professionals have served in areas including education, medicine, engineering, law, agriculture, science and technology, among others.

Yakub identified the revitalisation of the Technical Aid Corps Scheme as one of the major achievements of his administration, noting that the agency had sustained the deployment of Nigerian professionals while strengthening its engagement with partner countries.

He disclosed that in 2026 alone, NTAC received returning volunteers from Uganda, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and The Gambia, among other countries.

He said the returning professionals represented more than statistics, as each volunteer carried Nigeria’s expertise, values and reputation into the international community.

“These are not merely statistics. Behind every deployment is a Nigerian professional representing our country, building relationships and leaving a footprint of competence, discipline and service,” Yakub said.

The NTAC boss also said the agency had improved welfare arrangements for volunteers, including allowances, deployment, monitoring, debriefing and reintegration.

He explained that returning volunteers were now being systematically debriefed to document their experiences, challenges and knowledge acquired abroad.

Yakub said the process would help Nigeria convert international exposure into practical benefits for national human-capital development.

He highlighted the contributions of Nigerian professionals in The Gambia, particularly in education and the legal system.

According to him, Nigerian volunteers have served in university leadership, school administration, the judiciary and legislative drafting, demonstrating the depth of professional expertise available in the country.

Yakub said the performance of Nigerian volunteers abroad remained critical to the country’s international image, stressing that every professional deployed represented Nigeria before the host country.

He described NTAC as a key platform for advancing Nigeria’s soft-power diplomacy and linked its activities to President Tinubu’s 4-D foreign policy framework of Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora.

He said technical assistance provided by Nigerian professionals helped deepen relations with partner countries while promoting development and strengthening people-to-people connections.

Yakub also said his administration’s 3-R agenda of Repositioning, Retooling and Re-engineering had guided efforts to improve the agency’s operations and service delivery.

Beyond traditional technical assistance, he disclosed that NTAC was exploring structured skilled-labour arrangements through which countries requiring Nigerian professionals could engage them under legitimate and mutually beneficial programmes.

He said Jamaica had expressed interest in engaging hundreds of Nigerian professionals, describing the development as evidence of international demand for Nigerian expertise.

Such arrangements, he added, could create employment opportunities for Nigerian professionals while supporting Nigeria’s economic diplomacy.

On institutional reforms, Yakub said NTAC had renovated dilapidated offices, acquired operational vehicles and strengthened internal processes.

He added that capacity-building programmes had been expanded for NTAC officials, Foreign Service personnel and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The DG said the reforms were designed to position the agency to respond more effectively to emerging demands in international development cooperation and diplomacy.

He further disclosed that NTAC had strengthened monitoring and accountability mechanisms to ensure that the impact of technical assistance was properly documented.

Yakub said the agency was now paying greater attention to what volunteers achieved abroad, the challenges they encountered and the knowledge they acquired.

“Their international exposure should become part of Nigeria’s national human-capital development,” he said.

He also highlighted Nigeria’s growing recognition as a contributor to sustainable development cooperation through the Technical Aid Corps Scheme.

According to him, the deployment of more than 10,000 professionals to over 40 countries demonstrates Nigeria’s capacity to contribute expertise to the development of other nations.

He disclosed that Nigeria had joined the TOSSD Steering Committee, describing the development as recognition of the country’s contribution to sustainable development cooperation.

Looking ahead, Yakub said NTAC would continue to expand international demand for Nigerian expertise, create more opportunities for Nigerian professionals to serve abroad and strengthen knowledge-transfer mechanisms for returning volunteers.

He said the agency’s long-term vision was to become a globally recognised platform for technical cooperation, professional exchange, skilled-labour mobility and Nigeria’s soft-power diplomacy.

“We want more countries to request Nigerian expertise. We want more Nigerian professionals to have opportunities to serve internationally. We want returning volunteers to become multipliers of knowledge at home,” he said.

Yakub expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Assembly, diplomatic missions, partner countries, NTAC management and staff, and Nigerian professionals for their contributions to the scheme.

He also urged the media to give greater visibility to the contributions of Nigerian professionals abroad, describing them as an important human face of Nigeria’s foreign policy.

“Our task is not finished. Indeed, we are only beginning to see the full possibilities of what NTAC can become,” he said.