NTAC expands global Rollout of Nigerian Experts for fees
Experts
By Maureen Okon
Abuja, Aug. 27, 2026 (NAN) The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) plans to expand beyond its traditional South-South mandate, deploying Nigerian professionals for fees to countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas.
The Director-General of NTAC, Dr Yusuf Yakub, disclosed this on Thursday at the deployment exercise for 18 Technical Aid Corps (TAC) volunteers billed for Rwanda.
Yakub said the new TAC volunteers to Rwanda were expected to put in their best, just as their predecessors had done over the past 38 years.
He described NTAC as an instrument of soft-power diplomacy through which the Nigerian Government had, for 38 years, deployed experts to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries under South-South cooperation.
“My expectation is that they will put in their best, and I am sure they will come back with lots of laurels.
“Nigeria has been diligent in this and we have been supporting our black brothers in ACP countries. The programme has been at its peak since 2023 due to increased attention from President Bola Tinubu,” he said.
Yakub said NTAC was introducing a new initiative that would enable Nigeria to deploy its experts or export its labour for a fee to countries across the world, rather than limiting the programme to ACP countries.
“NTAC is introducing a new innovation that will see Nigeria deploying its experts or selling out its labour for a fee all over the world, not just to ACP countries,” he said.
He disclosed that Nigeria was on the verge of signing an agreement with Jamaica for the deployment of about 400 experts.
He also confirmed that Nigeria on Wednesday signed an agreement with Thailand, adding that several other countries in Asia and Europe had indicated interest in the programme.
According to him, the initiative is designed to tackle “Japa”, or irregular migration, and reduce unemployment.
“Nigeria is a big country with over 250 million populations, with a lot of educated citizens, and we are taking advantage of this programme and exporting our labour just like other countries do.
“This will not only solve the problem of unemployment, but it will also bring in foreign exchange for the country. It is another source of revenue for Nigeria,” he said.
Yakub said the initiative would address the challenges faced by Nigerians seeking to migrate, particularly those who risk dangerous routes in search of opportunities abroad.
He said the government would “start packaging its citizens and exporting them to other countries of the world to work with dignity.”
“So, Nigerians should know that there is a government agency now that is prepared to start packaging citizens and exporting them out to the rest of the world in an organised manner.
“They will go out with dignity, not through the deserts or through the Atlantic Ocean and perishing most of the time in the process,” he said.
He added that citizens deployed under the scheme would be allowed to travel with their families and that remittances from the workers would boost the country’s revenue.
Yakub said the agency would continue to scale up deployments while finalising new bilateral agreements in the coming months.
NAN reports that the 18 volunteers departing for Rwanda are the latest in NTAC’s monthly deployments to partner countries.
Speaking in separate interviews with NAN, the TAC volunteers said they considered the opportunity a rare chance to serve Nigeria in an honorable capacity.
Dr Idris Badamasi of the National Open University of Nigeria Abuja (NOUN), deployed to the Catholic University of Rwanda, said the programme served as a structured tool of soft power and diplomacy that showcased Nigeria’s immense human resources.
He said the recent bilateral relationships and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) signed with Thailand and Jamaica would help curb irregular migration, reduce domestic unemployment and generate foreign exchange through organised labour export.
“The Nigerian government will now start packaging its citizens with dignity and exporting them to other countries of the world to work with dignity,” he said.
Prof. Emmanuel Onyeche of the University of Benin, deployed to the Protestant University of Rwanda, expressed gratitude for being selected from more than 10,000 applicants.
He said the deployment was a vital opportunity to change global perceptions of Nigerians by demonstrating ingenuity and service to humanity through core academic pillars such as teaching, research and community development.
“Our country is endowed with a lot of ingenuity and knowledge, which we can share and also use in growing the manpower of other nations as well,” he said.
Similarly, Prof. Abdulazeez Salami of Modibbo Adama University, Yola, said his lifelong commitment to education and service as a proud ambassador of Nigeria would be transferred to his students in the host community.
Salami said, drawing from his 40 years of lecturing experience, he aimed to foster robust institutional collaborations between Nigerian and Rwandan universities.
He said he would continue to counter negative stereotypes about Nigerians through excellence in human capacity building.
“I have always said to myself that I am an ambassador of Nigeria because I have gone out on so many programmes before, and I am delighted to serve again,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Halima Sheji