The Director-General of NTAC, Dr Yusuf Yakub, said the programme was designed to showcase Nigeria’s expertise abroad while reducing irregular migration and the “Japa” syndrome through dignified, government-backed deployment.

Yakub said this at the send-off ceremony for the volunteers in Abuja, adding that the latest deployment followed two other batches sent to different countries two weeks ago.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the initiative, saying the presidential backing had enabled NTAC to deploy Nigerian professionals to different parts of the world every two to three weeks.

“This is another set going to Rwanda. These are professionals in different fields, doctors and PhD professors, going out to represent our great country, Nigeria, showcase our greatness, impact knowledge and serve humanity in Rwanda.

“More especially to Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, in the spirit of South-South cooperation and sharing what we have as a nation with our fellow sister countries,” he said.

The D-G said Nigeria remained the only country in Africa sustaining such a programme for more than 38 years, with over 10,000 experts deployed to more than 40 countries during the period.

Yakub also announced that arrangements had been concluded for an agreement between Nigeria and Jamaica to facilitate the deployment of 400 Nigerian youths to Jamaica for employment.

“Very soon, the agreement will be signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and her counterpart in Jamaica. And after signing, we will start with the first set of 400 experts.

“The first batch to Jamaica will be made up mostly of young Nigerian graduates with a minimum of three years post-graduation experience.

“The initiative is designed to reduce illegal migration and ‘Japa’ by packaging Nigerians for deployment abroad with dignity and with concrete agreement between governments.

“This great initiative will put an end, or reduce drastically, the irregular migration, and it will also reduce Japa, because now the government is packaging its citizens to send them out there with dignity,” the D-G said.