By Ebi Kesiena
In a move aimed at deepening Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy and bridging healthcare and educational gaps across Africa, the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) has deployed 35 medical professionals including doctors and nurses to Zanzibar, Tanzania.
The deployment, which took place during a ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, is part of Nigeria’s long-standing initiative to support African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries through the provision of skilled manpower. NTAC’s Director-General, Dr Yusuf Yakubu, described the moment as historic for both Nigeria and the recipient nation, emphasising its alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s foreign policy vision.
“Today marks a pivotal day for the corps as we fulfil the directive of President Tinubu by deploying these 35 volunteers as ambassadors of soft power diplomacy,” said Yakubu, a former member of the House of Representatives.
He praised the President’s continued support for NTAC and noted the importance of the agency in implementing the administration’s four-pronged foreign policy strategy, dubbed the D-4 agenda. According to him, the shift from offering monetary assistance to providing technical expertise since NTAC’s establishment in 1987 has strengthened diplomatic relations and encouraged cultural exchange across the ACP region.
Yakubu highlighted the agency’s successes, including the deployment of more than 10,000 Nigerian professionals to over 40 countries. He recalled a recent visit to The Gambia, where the country’s President, Adama Barrow, commended the lasting impact of Nigerian volunteers. Notably, the Vice-Chancellor of Gambia’s only university is an alumnus of the NTAC programme, deployed in 1999.
Team lead Dr Paul Cornelius commended the initiative, pledging that the volunteers would uphold the legacy of excellence NTAC is known for. “We are not just going to Zanzibar to work—we are going to represent Nigeria with dignity and purpose,” he said.
Among the volunteers, paediatric nurse Mohammed Ibrahim expressed gratitude for being selected from over 10,000 applicants. He prayed for a successful mission and vowed to serve with dedication. Similarly, Mary-Jane Okieze, a registered nurse, described the deployment as a unique opportunity to demonstrate Nigerian expertise and make a positive impression on the host community.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the deployed professionals will primarily serve as lecturers and healthcare providers, helping to fill critical professional gaps in institutions across Zanzibar.
