As part of ongoing international engagements, the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by its Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, has undertaken a high-level bilateral visit to Barbados to advance cooperation in the Education sector and strengthen South-South collaboration.
The engagement featured a strategic meeting with the Barbados Ministry of Educational Transformation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, held at the Minister’s Conference Room.
Discussions focused on building institutional partnerships, enhancing capacity development, and promoting sustainable, mutually beneficial cooperation.
In her opening remarks, the Honourable Minister of Educational Transformation, C. Sandra V. Husbands, M.P., emphasized the critical role of international collaboration in driving educational advancement, innovation, and human capital development within Barbados and the wider Caribbean.
The NTAC Director-General reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations through the Technical Aid Corps Scheme, noting that education remains a vital platform for knowledge exchange, skills transfer, and technical cooperation among developing nations.
Also speaking, the Director of Programmes, Ambassador Bello A.Jaye, highlighted the Corps’ operational readiness to deploy skilled Nigerian professionals to Barbados in key sectors, including Education, Agriculture, and other Technical fields.
Contributions from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Educational Transformation, Mr. Patrick McCaskie (Ag), on behalf of the Ministry of Training and Tertiary Education, alongside Directors of the Ministry, underscored the need for structured collaboration and effective institutional synergy to ensure tangible and sustainable outcomes.
Barbadian officials expressed strong interest in broadening cooperation beyond education to include cultural and economic sectors such as Nollywood, fashion, cultural heritage, and agriculture, identifying these areas as viable channels for knowledge exchange, cultural diplomacy, and revenue generation.
Deliberations further stressed the importance of establishing a sustainable framework for seamless collaboration, effective knowledge transfer, and strengthened cultural exchange, in line with broader South-South Cooperation objectives.
The engagement aligns with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the 4D Foreign Policy framework—Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora—while reinforcing Nigeria’s growing diplomatic footprint in the Caribbean.
The visit marks another significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to promote strategic global partnerships and underscores NTAC’s continued commitment to fostering sustainable development, technical cooperation, and shared prosperity.
Signed:
Ojo Adetoun Olubunmi , anipr
Head, Information/PR
Nigerian Technical Aid Corps
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja
27th April, 2026
