NTAC Briefs, deploys another 10 Volunteers to Sierra Leone
NTAC Briefs, deploys another 10 Volunteers to Sierra Leone
NTAC Briefs, deploys another 10 Volunteers to Sierra Leone
The Director-General of the National Technical Assistance Corps (NTAC), Hon. Yusuf Buba, has briefed another ten Nigerian volunteers ahead of their deployment to Sierra Leone, as Nigeria continues to strengthen its use of technical cooperation as an instrument of soft-power diplomacy.
The deployment is part of Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to sharing knowledge, professional expertise and technical services with partner countries while strengthening international relationships and contributing to development beyond its borders.
Through NTAC, Nigeria has continued to send experts and volunteers to countries across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, where they provide technical support, transfer knowledge and contribute to human and institutional capacity development.
Beyond the provision of technical services, the programme has become an important avenue for Nigeria to build friendships, deepen bilateral relations and expand its network of partnerships within the community of nations.
Nigeria’s sustained participation in the programme has also placed the country among the few nations with a long-standing record of engagement, having maintained continuous participation for about eight years.
The latest deployment to Sierra Leone is expected to deliver both developmental and diplomatic benefits, with the ten volunteers bringing their professional knowledge and experience to identified areas of need while strengthening people-to-people relations between Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
The initiative also reflects a broader renewed drive by the Federal Government to use soft-power diplomacy, technical cooperation and international partnerships to advance Nigeria’s interests while contributing to the development of other nations.
Since the administration came into office in August 2023, NTAC has witnessed increased activities and engagements, with more frequent exercises and deployment-related programmes aimed at expanding Nigeria’s technical assistance to partner countries.
The renewed momentum has been associated with the administration’s emphasis on strengthening Nigeria’s international relationships, making friends among nations and attracting development opportunities to the country, while equally offering Nigerian expertise to countries that require technical support.
Nigeria’s engagement with the Caribbean has also featured prominently in this renewed approach. Following the President’s visit to Saint Lucia, where he held engagements with Caribbean leaders, including prime ministers and ministers of foreign affairs, emphasis was placed on providing Nigerian technical support to address identified gaps in the region.
That diplomatic engagement has reinforced the role of technical cooperation as a practical tool for international partnership, allowing Nigeria to translate diplomatic relationships into tangible development assistance.
For NTAC, the deployment of the ten volunteers to Sierra Leone therefore goes beyond a routine technical assignment. It represents Nigeria’s commitment to using knowledge, skills and professional service to strengthen relationships with other nations.
The volunteers are expected to contribute meaningfully to the lives of citizens in Sierra Leone, while also building professional networks and lasting relationships that can further deepen cooperation between the two countries.
As they begin their assignment, the ten Nigerian volunteers will serve as representatives of Nigeria’s expertise and commitment to international development, demonstrating how technical assistance can become a bridge between nations and an effective instrument of diplomacy.
The Sierra Leone deployment consequently adds another chapter to Nigeria’s continuing effort to share its knowledge with the world, support the development of partner countries and build stronger friendships within the international community.
