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Buba Urges Support For President Tinubu’s 4-D Foreign Policy Initiative, As DTAC Deploys Volunteers To Liberia

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Joel Ajayi Director-General, Directorate of Technical Aid Corps (DTAC), Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Yusuf Buba Yakub has re-iterated support for the 4-D Foreign Policy initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying DTAC must continue to be at the forefront of pursuing Mr President’s agenda by constantly deploying selected Volunteers to foreign countries and Multilateral Organisations. Buba, maintained that the programs of DTAC were in furtherance of Nigeria’s foreign policy uses soft-power tools, like education and technology transfer, said public officers and Nigerians in all walks of life must aline with the Presidential ideal to continue to carry the nation high in the comity of nations of the world. The DTAC DG made the statement, Tuesday, in Abuja during the deployment of a a new set of TAC Scheme Volunteers to Liberia. Buba reminded the Volunteers that each of them was an Ambassador of Nigeria and they must act with such consciousness, knowing that expectations were high on them to keep the contract they had entered into with the Federal Government and the recipient country going. While charging the Volunteers to conduct themselves well in Liberia, Buba said every act of indiscipline would be addressed by the authorities. He informed that the current deployment exercise of Volunteers was the third at DTAC since he assumed office and added that the judges sent to The Gambia were Mr President’s efforts at strengthening the structures of democracy in the African region. He urged the Volunteers to see the Nigerian Mission in Liberia as their new home and constantly relate with the High Commissioner at all times the need arises. He said: “I want to thank the President for his 4-D foreign policy initiative. Today we are taking one of the Ds, which is Demography. Nigeria has a positive demography in Africa. “Much part of our population is well-trained and talented. It is a population of agile youths who are ready to serve their country whenever they are called upon to do so. “Also, we believe that these ones are capable because they have gone through rigorous training sessions to be selected to serve Nigeria in a foreign land. “So, this demography advantage that Nigeria possesses, by extension, will also contribute to the development of Liberia in different ways, and also, it will contribute to the positioning of Nigeria among the comity of nations. “This is because you’re going to Liberia as Volunteers to give service to humanity, so that you will portray the image of our dear country, Nigeria, in the right light.’’ Earlier, the Director of Programmes in the Agency, Amb. Mohammed Mohammed told the DG that the Volunteers had been found worthy in character and learning to undertake the TAC Scheme. While presenting them to Management, he also thanked Rt. Hon. Buba for his constant support all through the period of preparing for the event. Mrs Martina Okpere, an Assistant Director in one of the MDAs, and Nuhu Madaki, a co-volunteer, both of whom spoke for the Volunteers, said they were excited at the prospects of serving Nigeria in a special capacity and promised to abide by the regulations guiding the TAC Scheme.

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AWESSA 2026: Customs Assures Border Cooperation for Women Entrepreneurs

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By James Samuel, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service has said the nation’s borders must become gateways of opportunity for African women entrepreneurs, not obstacles that kill their businesses.

This was disclosed at the African Women’s Economic Sovereignty Summit and Awards (AWESSA) 2026 held at the Customs House, corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja.

Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, his representative, an Assistant Controller, said hosting the summit inside Customs premises was deliberate.

“That this summit holds within the Customs premises is no accident. It is a statement of intent,” he said.

“The border is where the promise of every African trader either comes alive or dies quietly. And the men and women of this Service have resolved that for every woman entrepreneur of this continent, that promise will never die.”

He said women account for an estimated 70% of informal cross-border trade in Africa and over half of agricultural labour, yet they face documentation, standards, finance and harassment challenges.

“Too often she meets the border as an obstacle rather than a gateway. Because she trades in small volumes, in cash, in informality without formal papers, capable business women are now trapped in informality, invisible to trade statistics,” he noted.

He added: “AfCFTA will not be delivered by treaties alone. It will be delivered at border posts, in conference halls, and in market stores.”

Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, represented by a Director, said women are central to Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.

According to her, NEPC’s focus is now on building export- ready competitive enterprises through programmes like the Women in Export Initiative, Export Clinic, and Zero to Export.

“Our focus is no longer on encouraging exports alone, it is on building competitive export-ready enterprises. We are supporting women to move beyond production into value addition, quality assurance, standard compliance, branding and market positioning,” she said.

She said AfCFTA offers a market of over one billion people, but women need knowledge, certifications and institutional support.

“Empowering women economically is one of the most effective tools for achieving poverty reduction, food security, job creation and inclusive growth,” she stated.

The Convener, Helen Okon, who is the Publisher of Business Review Africa & Africa Today Magazine, as well as representatives of NAFDAC DG and NEXIM Bank MD, reaffirmed commitment to supporting women-owned businesses access standards, certification and finance.

The summit, with the theme of positioning women as drivers of trade and sustainable development, is part of activities marking the International Year of the Women Farmer.

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