*NTAC DG Urges Gambia-Bound Volunteers to Leave Lasting Legacy of Excellence
The Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, has urged the 18 Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Volunteers deployed to the Republic of The Gambia to distinguish themselves through exemplary conduct, professionalism and outstanding service, leaving behind enduring footprints of excellence before the completion of their assignments.
Speaking on Thursday during the deployment ceremony in Abuja, the Director-General said the achievements recorded by previous TAC Volunteers across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific had earned Nigeria widespread respect and goodwill, stressing that the new batch must sustain and build upon that enviable legacy.
According to him, the Technical Aid Corps has become synonymous with deploying Nigeria’s finest professionals and experts to partner countries, making the Scheme one of the nation’s most effective instruments of people-to-people diplomacy and South-South cooperation.
Rt. Hon. Buba congratulated the Volunteers on their successful enlistment into the Scheme, noting that the 24-month assignment offers them a unique opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the development aspirations of Nigeria’s African brothers and sisters by helping bridge critical manpower gaps in key sectors.
The Director-General also expressed profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his unwavering support for the TAC Scheme over the past three years, noting that the administration’s commitment has further strengthened Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy and reinforced the country’s leadership role in the Global South.
Highlighting the outstanding performance of former TAC Volunteers in The Gambia, the NTAC boss disclosed that several had risen to occupy strategic positions, including Vice-Chancellors and Deputy Vice-Chancellors in Gambian universities. He further revealed that the exceptional performance of one immediate past Volunteer earned him a fresh appointment by the Gambian authorities to continue serving for another year as Vice-Chancellor of a major institution.
Earlier, while presenting the Volunteers to the Director-General, the Director of Programmes, Ambassador Bello A. Jaye, said the selected officers had distinguished themselves in both character and professional competence and had successfully completed all the requirements for participation in the TAC Scheme.
Speaking on behalf of the Volunteers, the Team Leader, Engr. Prof. Bashir Aliyu, a Professor of Agricultural Engineering at Modibbo Adama University, Yola, expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the renewed momentum witnessed by the TAC Scheme in recent years. He assured the Director-General that the team would uphold Nigeria’s reputation by demonstrating excellence, dedication and patriotism throughout their assignment in The Gambia.
The ceremony concluded with a group photograph of the Volunteers and members of the NTAC Management.
*Nkem Anyata-Lafia*
Special Assistant to the Director-General (Media and Publicity)
Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC)
*July 30, 2026*
