Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, has called for a stronger media and public diplomacy strategy to boost awareness of the country’s foreign policy priorities and the activities of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC).
The call was contained in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, following a courtesy visit by NTAC Director-General Yusuf Buba Yakub and his management team in Abuja.
“We need to create more announcements for Nigerians to know what we are doing in the Ministry and NTAC,” Enikanolaiye said. “Nigerians have not been fully aware of the work of TAC and MFA. We must up our game in the media.”
The minister stressed that visibility is now as important as policy delivery, describing a deliberate and well-funded communication strategy as “non-negotiable” under Nigeria’s evolving foreign policy direction.
He explained that the Ministry is undergoing a “grand strategic realignment” in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, anchored on the 4-Ds foreign policy doctrine — Demography, Democracy, Development and Diaspora.
Enikanolaiye described NTAC as a key instrument of Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy, commending the agency for achieving significant results despite limited resources. “We must see ourselves as partners and family,” he added.
Earlier, NTAC Director-General Yakub said the agency has deployed over 10,000 Nigerian professionals to more than 40 countries since its establishment in 1987, supporting development across sectors such as health, education, engineering, agriculture and ICT.
He added that 274 professionals are currently serving in 13 countries across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, with plans underway to expand operations to countries including Zambia, Ethiopia and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, also highlighted the need for reforms such as digital volunteer management, diaspora integration and virtual technical assistance to strengthen the programme’s impact.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening NTAC as a driver of Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives, promoting sustainable development and deepening bilateral cooperation with partner countries.
