In order to generate jobs, deter irregular migration, and reposition Nigeria’s human capital as a source of foreign exchange, the Nigeria Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) is finalising plans to start exporting Nigerian labour with dignity to nations worldwide, according to Director-General Yusuf Buba Yakub.
Yakub said the initiative, which has already received approval from the Federal Ministry of Justice following consultation with the Ministries of Labour, Health, and Foreign Affairs, will go beyond NTAC’s soft power diplomacy into organised labour export programs during his presentation of his two-year stewardship scorecard on Friday in Abuja.
He clarified that NTAC was requested to supply more personnel than the seven volunteers that were originally scheduled during a visit to Jamaica.
Yakub emphasised that in spite of financial strains brought on severe exchange rate swings, NTAC has continuously been able to fulfil its volunteer deployment commitments.
He said that in accordance with Nigeria’s foreign policy pledges, the Corps has adequately deployed volunteers throughout its host nations, and that they are well compensated and supported.
He clarified that in order to strengthen the organisation, NTAC had reactivated its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) under the direction of the ICPC to ensure equity in hiring and deployment, launched an internal magazine and documentary series to highlight its work, and installed new ICT infrastructure to modernise its operations.
One of my new policies, he stated, is to make the Nigeria Technical Aid Corps a hub for the export of our labour force, not just for free but also for financial gain. Thus, in order to help our brothers in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, as well as to benefit humanity, we export soft power diplomacy alongside it.
“We are attempting to discourage the Japanese and discourage our citizens who are dying in the deserts and the oceans by introducing or having already introduced the sale of our manpower.” and, above all, to generate jobs for our countrymen.
“And by the end of October, we will have more than 450 volunteers out there, so by the end of the year, we will be meeting our budget by 90% and more. Therefore, by God’s grace, we will meet our budget at the end of the year, even with the tiny exchange rate difference,” he stated.
Speaking about the Corps’ debt relief and reforms, the DG added that upon taking office in August 2023, he was left with more than 198 active volunteers, deteriorating facilities, outdated cars, and hundreds of millions of naira in unpaid allowances and ticket arrears.
Yakub said that in spite of financial difficulties, his leadership had also managed the renovation of NTAC’s headquarters and improvements to employee welfare, primarily through his own contacts with the organization’s friends and allies.
He guaranteed that all outstanding bills, including those related to unpaid volunteer pay, ticket refunds, and allowances, had been paid in full.
Additionally, he connected the actions of NTAC to the 4D foreign policy initiative—Demography, Demography, Diaspora, and Development—of President Bola Tinubu.
Yakub continued his remarks about youth involvement by saying that the Corps was also providing Nigerian professionals and young people with foreign exposure, retraining chances, and the opportunity to return home with a global perspective.
“And by the grace of God and with the help of Mr. President, we have cleared all our debts today, even though we inherited hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid volunteer salaries and unpaid ticket money,” he stated. We’re not in debt again. All of our volunteers have received payment.
Grenada, located in the South Caribbean, is one of the new nations we have opened during this time. Equatorial Guinea is ours. South Sudan is one of us. Zanzibar is another option. Thus, these are the new nations with which we have established diplomatic ties throughout the last two years,” he declared.
