In a renewed effort to deepen Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy across Africa, the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) has deployed 35 medical professionals to Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania.
Speaking during the official deployment exercise on Tuesday in Abuja, the Director-General of NTAC, Dr Yusuf Yakub, said the mission aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy through soft power and professional exchange across African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.
“Today is a historic day for the Corps. In honour of President Tinubu’s directive and our shared African brotherhood, 35 TAC volunteers—doctors and nurses—are being sent to Zanzibar,” Yakub stated.
Yakub, a former member of the House of Representatives, praised the president’s unwavering support for NTAC’s mission.
He emphasised that the deployment reflects Nigeria’s commitment to international cooperation and capacity building through the four pillars of the country’s foreign policy initiative.
Established in 1987, NTAC has shifted Nigeria’s approach to international assistance from financial aid to human capital support, with the DG revealing that over 10,000 experts have been deployed to ACP countries over the years.
“In The Gambia, for example, both the current and former Vice Chancellors of the country’s only university were Nigerian volunteers through NTAC.
“ These are the kinds of silent but powerful diplomatic impacts we are making,” Yakub said.
The deployment to Zanzibar, he added, is part of Nigeria’s obligation to the South-South Cooperation framework, which encourages developing nations to support one another through shared expertise.
Dr Paul Cornelius, who is leading the team of volunteers, pledged the group’s commitment to represent Nigeria positively.
“We are honoured by this opportunity and will work hard to surpass the expectations of our predecessors,” he said.
Pediatric nurse Mohammed Ibrahim expressed gratitude for being selected from over 10,000 applicants and vowed to uphold Nigeria’s image abroad.
Another volunteer, Mary-Jane Okieze, described the deployment as a chance to showcase Nigeria’s capacity in global healthcare. “It’s an honour to care for the sick and bring comfort to people in Zanzibar. We will not disappoint,” she said.
The NTAC volunteers will be involved in lecturing and filling professional gaps in the health sector of their host community, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
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