The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) on Wednesday held a debriefing and support session to welcome home its returning volunteers from the Republic of The Gambia and the Republic of Sierra Leone following the successful completion of their two-year international assignments.
Addressing the volunteers, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, congratulated them on their safe return and commended their exceptional service, describing them as worthy ambassadors who projected Nigeria’s image positively through the country’s Technical Aid Programme.
Dr. Yakub expressed profound appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his unwavering support for the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps. He noted that the administration’s 4D Foreign Policy has reinvigorated Nigeria’s Technical Aid Programme and strengthened Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
1st July 2026
He also appreciated the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, for her consistent support towards the successful implementation of the Corps’ programmes.
The Director-General further announced that the Corps would intensify its engagement with the media and civil society organizations to enhance public awareness of the Agency’s contributions to Nigeria’s international development efforts and foreign policy objectives.
Yakub highlighted the remarkable achievements of the returning volunteers, noting that they made Nigeria proud through outstanding contributions to education, healthcare, institutional development and capacity building in their respective host countries.
Speaking on developments in The Gambia, he disclosed that until the completion of their assignments and return to Nigeria, NTAC volunteers occupied strategic leadership positions in higher institutions, including Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Deans and Directors.
According to him, their contributions played a significant role in strengthening the Gambia University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology and other institutions, culminating in the graduation of over 951 engineering students during a recent convocation ceremony.
He further revealed that the Government of The Gambia had expressed deep appreciation for the invaluable services of the Nigerian volunteers, with some Ministries requesting that the volunteers remain in the country because of the remarkable impact they had made.
On Sierra Leone, the Director-General praised the volunteers for their exceptional contributions to the country’s health sector. He particularly commended a Nigerian volunteer whose nursing practice compendium has been adopted nationally to standardize nursing practice across Sierra Leone, describing the feat as a landmark achievement that will continue to improve healthcare delivery in the country.
Dr. Yakub reiterated that the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, established in 1987 as an instrument of Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy, has deployed over 10,000 professionals to more than 40 countries across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific over the past 38 years.
He encouraged the returning volunteers to apply the knowledge, skills and international experience acquired during their assignments to improve service delivery in their respective institutions at home, emphasizing that they now possess broader perspectives capable of making meaningful contributions to Nigeria’s national development.
Speaking on behalf of the returning volunteers from Sierra Leone, Dr. Chizoba Ukwoma, a medical doctor, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government and the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps for the opportunity to serve the nation abroad. She stated that Nigerian healthcare professionals contributed significantly to reducing maternal and child mortality in several hospitals through improved clinical practices and quality healthcare services.
Similarly, the Team Leader of the volunteers in The Gambia, Engr. Mohammed Gborigi Katun, said the Nigerian delegation played a pivotal role in curriculum development, institutional reforms and policy formulation that supported the transformation of the Gambia Technical Training Institute into the Gambia University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology. He also highlighted the volunteers’ contributions to university governance, research and innovation.
One of the returning volunteers, Professor Naznat T. Surajudeen Bakinde, recounted her experience as the first substantive female Vice-Chancellor of the Gambia University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology. She described the assignment as a life-changing opportunity that strengthened her leadership capacity while showcasing Nigeria’s excellence in higher education. She further disclosed that Nigerian volunteers established the university’s management structure, developed its official anthem and occupied several key administrative positions that laid a solid foundation for the institution’s growth.
The event featured presentations by volunteer representatives, goodwill messages, and the presentation of Certificates of Service to the returning volunteers in recognition of their exemplary service and outstanding contributions to human capital development in their host countries.
The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives through technical cooperation, capacity building and the deployment of skilled professionals to friendly countries across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Signed
Ojo Adetoun Olubunmi, anipr
Head, Information & Public Relations Unit
Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC)
1st July, 2026
