Nigeria and Jamaica have signed an Agreement on Technical Assistance aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation and expanding the reach of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Programme in the Caribbean country.
The agreement was signed at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during the high-level activities of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The signing followed discussions between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.
Nigeria and Jamaica Seek Deeper Technical Cooperation
The bilateral meeting focused on strengthening relations between the two countries and expanding people-to-people exchanges through practical areas of cooperation.
According to a statement by the minister’s Media Assistant, Dr Magnus Eze, the two foreign ministers reviewed opportunities for deeper collaboration and agreed to explore additional areas of mutual interest through existing bilateral mechanisms.
The agreement further builds on longstanding ties between Nigeria and Jamaica, with technical assistance providing a channel through which Nigerian professionals can contribute expertise to development programmes in Jamaica.
Jamaica Wants More Nigerian Professionals
Johnson Smith expressed Jamaica’s appreciation for Nigeria’s contribution to the country’s development through the TAC Programme.
She highlighted the programme’s contribution in areas including health, education and local fabric artisanry, while indicating Jamaica’s interest in receiving more Nigerian professionals.
Among the professionals Jamaica is interested in receiving are Nigerian nurses and teachers, whose expertise could support institutions and communities in the country.
The Jamaican minister said the TAC Programme had produced an impact beyond the transfer of technical skills, also creating opportunities for cultural and creative exchanges between Nigerians and Jamaicans.
How Nigeria’s TAC Programme Influenced “JADIRE”
One example cited during the discussions was “JADIRE”, a concept that combines Jamaican designs with Nigeria’s traditional Adire tie-and-dye textile technique.
The concept was developed by Jamaican artisans following training they received through Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps Programme in 2018.
The example illustrates how technical assistance can produce outcomes that extend beyond conventional professional training, creating opportunities for cultural exchange and adaptation of indigenous creative practices.
In this case, Nigeria’s traditional textile knowledge became part of a creative concept developed by artisans in Jamaica, providing a practical example of how cooperation between the two countries can operate at community level.
Agreement Signed During Nigeria’s UNGA Engagements
The agreement formed part of a series of bilateral engagements undertaken by Odumegwu-Ojukwu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Nigeria used the UNGA platform to hold discussions with several countries and international organisations on bilateral relations, trade, development, security and other areas of mutual interest.
The agreement with Jamaica comes alongside a broader pattern of bilateral engagements involving Nigeria and countries across different regions.
