By Jabiru Hassan
NTAC Director General Highlights President Tinubu’s Directive to Standardize Skills of Nigerian Youth for Global Certification
The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have agreed to establish a joint committee aimed at exploring specific areas of cooperation to enhance the delivery of their respective mandates.
This decision was reached during a high-level meeting held on Wednesday in Abuja, where the Director General of NTAC, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, hosted the Interim Chief of Mission of the IOM in Nigeria, Mrs. Pace Paola.
In his remarks, Rt. Hon. Buba commended the IOM for its exemplary work in the Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) program globally, particularly for its contributions to refugee care in Adamawa State and the entire Northeast region of Nigeria.
He emphasized that NTAC’s mandate aligns with similar humanitarian goals, particularly in building the capacity of citizens in African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries, in line with the United Nations’ South-South Cooperation framework.
The TAC Director General also highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to ensure that the skills and potential of Nigerian youth are upgraded to meet global standards for certification, thereby maximizing their contributions in countries where these skills are deployed. Reflecting on NTAC’s 37-year legacy, Buba noted that beyond deploying technical manpower to recipient countries, the Federal Government has also invested in the construction of hospitals and schools to enhance healthcare delivery and support the overall development of local communities in those countries. He emphasized that these initiatives help fulfill NTAC’s mandate.
Buba further revealed that in 2024 alone, NTAC has deployed eight sets of volunteers to various ACP countries, thereby promoting legal migration and providing free humanitarian services. He also expressed the agency’s intent to expand its scope to include a skills-for-a-fee program, which may necessitate amendments to the NTAC Establishment Act, in line with the thinking of the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting, Buba reiterated NTAC’s commitment to partnering with IOM, stating, “We look forward to working with you to ensure our youth are well-prepared to legally migrate wherever their skills and talents are needed. We are also determined to deepen our commitment to countries that require our services.”
He acknowledged the challenges posed by currency fluctuations in the Naira-Dollar exchange rate, which have impacted NTAC’s ability to meet its obligations to some prospective beneficiary countries. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism about leveraging the provisions of NTAC’s establishment law to secure external support to enhance service delivery.
In her remarks, Mrs. Pace Paola expressed IOM’s readiness to collaborate with NTAC in addressing migration challenges, including improper migration processes, visa extortion, and widespread misinformation about travel. She underscored the need for institutional collaboration with the Nigerian media to effectively address these issues. Additionally, she commended Rt. Hon. Buba for his commitment to service delivery during his less-than-one-year leadership of NTAC.
The International Organization for Migration, established in 1951 in response to the post-World War II migration crisis, is now a key agency of the United Nations, addressing migration and refugee issues worldwide. This was detailed in a press statement issued by Nkem Anyata-Lafia, Special Assistant to the DG, NTAC, on Media and Publicity.
