The Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Dr Yusuf Yakub, says Nigeria will deploy 400 skilled professionals to Jamaica under its newly introduced Labour Dignity Initiative, aimed at promoting legal and organised overseas employment for Nigerians.
Speaking at the debriefing of 11 NTAC volunteers who recently returned from The Gambia, Yakub said Nigeria remains committed to supporting countries across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific through technical assistance.
He noted that Nigeria is the only African country that has consistently deployed technical experts to other nations for the past 38 years.
According to him, the Labour Dignity Initiative is designed to create structured pathways for skilled Nigerians to work abroad, while discouraging illegal migration.
“NTAC is introducing this new initiative. We have gone far with the Jamaican government, which has already requested about 400 experts from Nigeria. The experts will be paid by the Jamaican government or any other country that requests them,” he said.
Yakub explained that the initiative would package unemployed but qualified Nigerians for overseas employment, enabling them to export their expertise with dignity rather than embark on dangerous irregular migration routes.
“We are talking to many other countries because this initiative will help eliminate illegal migration. Even developed countries have shown interest in the Nigerian Labour Dignity Initiative,” he added.
He said NTAC has concluded the necessary arrangements for the commencement of the programme.
Established in 1987, the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps is a Federal Government agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It deploys Nigerian professionals to developing countries, particularly in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, as part of Nigeria’s foreign policy to promote South-South cooperation, strengthen diplomatic relations and support human capital development.
