In a significant diplomatic and economic development, the Government of Jamaica has officially requested the services of 400 Nigerian professionals across various fields to bridge the countryโs widening manpower gap.
This request comes as part of the broader international recognition of Nigerian expertise and follows previous successful deployments of Nigerian professionals under the Nigeria Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) scheme.
The announcement was made by Dr. Yusuf Yakub, the Director General of NTAC, during the deployment ceremony of 16 Nigerian volunteers to Benin Republic and Rwanda.
The volunteers, drawn from various sectors, are expected to contribute their expertise to the educational and social infrastructure of their host nations.
Jamaica, like many developing nations, is facing a shortage of skilled professionals in sectors such as healthcare, education, engineering, and technology. To address this challenge, the Jamaican government has turned to Nigeria, a country with a strong pool of highly skilled professionals.
What sets this request apart is that Jamaica has pledged to fully fund the services of the 400 Nigerian professionals, covering salaries, accommodations, and other benefits. This represents a shift from the traditional volunteer-based model of NTAC, where Nigerian professionals are deployed to support developing nations under a subsidized arrangement.
According to Dr. Yakub, this is an unprecedented opportunity for Nigerian professionals to gain international exposure while fostering stronger diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and Jamaica.
