The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, NTAC, has concluded plans to deploy hundreds of Nigerian professionals abroad to strengthen foreign engagement and generate revenue through technical assistance.
The plan was made known in Abuja at the deployment ceremony of 17 Nigerian professionals to St. Kitts and Nevis.
The Director-General, Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Dr. Yusuf Buba Yakubu, described the move as a strategic expansion of Nigeria’s technical diplomacy.
Dr. Yakubu said arrangements have been completed to deploy over 400 Nigerian professionals to Jamaica.
He added that six Eastern Caribbean countries are expected to receive Nigerian experts in the first quarter of 2026.
According to him, the deployment followed a directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after engagements with leaders of Eastern Caribbean states.
He said Nigeria committed to filling critical manpower gaps in the region as part of its leadership role within the Global South.
Dr. Yakubu said the deployment to St. Kitts and Nevis forms a key pillar of Nigeria’s growing engagement with the Caribbean.
He noted that the Technical Aid Corps was established 38 years ago to promote South–South cooperation among developing countries.
The NTAC Director-General said Nigeria has already deployed volunteers to Grenada and Jamaica, with St. Kitts and Nevis becoming the latest beneficiary.
He announced that the volunteers would travel on Air Peace’s maiden direct flight from Nigeria to the Caribbean.
Dr. Yakubu said the development would reduce travel time, strengthen Nigeria’s aviation sector and project the country’s global presence.
He urged the volunteers to act as worthy ambassadors of Nigeria, stressing professionalism and discipline.
Dr. Yakubu explained that while the Nigerian government will pay the volunteers’ salaries, the government of St. Kitts and Nevis will provide accommodation and logistics.
Earlier, the Director of Programmes, Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Ambassador Zachary Ousmane, commended the agency’s leadership for sustaining Nigeria’s technical assistance diplomacy.
The volunteers expressed appreciation to NTAC management and pledged commitment to excellence and service.
The professionals, drawn from medical, education and other sectors, will serve in St. Kitts and Nevis for an initial two-year period under the Technical Aid Corps scheme.
At least 19 people have died in Jamaica as a result of Hurricane Melissa, Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon has said, as search and rescue efforts continue and authorities try to get aid to hard-hit areas.
The hurricane, one of the most powerful to strike the Caribbean, has also killed at least 30 people in Haiti, officials said.
In Jamaica, “there are entire communities that seem to be marooned and areas that seem to be flattened”, Dixon said, adding there are “devastating” scenes in western regions.
Electricity remains out to most of the island and as people try to salvage damaged homes and belongings from flood water and mud, many thousands are growing increasingly desperate for aid.
There are parts of the country that have been without water for several days and food is growing increasingly scarce.
Aid supplies are starting to arrive more rapidly with the main airport in the Jamaican capital, Kingston, largely back to normal.
But smaller regional airports, some of which are located near to where humanitarian assistance is most needed, remain only partly operational.
As such, aid agencies and the military are bringing in the urgently needed supplies from Kingston via road, many of which remain unpassable in places.
A journey from Mandeville, in the centre of the country, to Black River normally an hour is taking eight hours because the roads are so torn up.
Army vehicles and relief convoys are struggling to get past fallen trees and poles, leaving many who live in western areas very much without the aid they need.
Residents of towns in western Jamaica told the BBC on Thursday that “words can’t explain how devastating” the storm has been for the country.
“No-one is able to get through to their loved ones,” Trevor ‘Zyanigh’ Whyte told the BBC from the town of White House in Westmoreland parish.
“Everyone is just, you know, completely disconnected… Every tree is on the road, right, so you can’t get too far with the cars, not even a bicycle,” he said.
On the drive from Kingston to Falmouth towards Montego Bay, the scene worsens. Walking around, there are buildings with half a roof and people drying their mattresses by the sides of the road.
People are struggling to get their lives back together and trying to clear the streets, as the power company is trying to get poles moved.
Jamaica, a very green and mountainous country, has been stripped – leaving what looks like twigs and matchsticks.
In Haiti, many of the victims in the storm died when a river overflowed in Petit-Goave. A full assessment is ongoing, as there are still areas that authorities have not been able to access.
Around 15,000 people were staying in more than 120 shelters in Haiti, interim UN co-ordinator for the country Gregoire Goodstein said.
In Cuba, more than 3 million people were “exposed to life-threatening conditions” during the hurricane, with 735,000 people “safely evacuated”, according to the UN’s resident co-ordinator for Cuba Francisco Pichon.
No fatalities have been reported so far in Cuba, but almost 240 communities have been cut off due to flooding and landslides, Cuban authorities said.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Tuesday in Jamaica as a category five storm, packing winds of up to 185 mph (295 km/h), before impacting other countries in the Caribbean.
Governments, humanitarian organisations and individuals around the world are pledging support for the nations hardest hit by the storm.
The World Food Programme said it is collaborating with partners to coordinate logistics, cash and emergency supplies across Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The US State Department said it is deploying a disaster response team to the region to help with search and rescue operations, and assisting in efforts to provide food, water, medical supplies, hygiene kits and temporary shelters.
The UK government on Friday said it is mobilising an additional £5m ($6m) to send humanitarian supplies, including shelter kits and solar powered lanterns, to help people without power and whose homes have been damaged.
That is on top of £2.5m ($3.36m) already announced in emergency humanitarian funding to support recovery in the Caribbean.
The Foreign Office is also preparing flights to evacuate British nationals unable to come home on commercial flights.
While Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti assessed the damage left in Melissa’s wake, Bermuda braced for impact.
The Bermuda Weather Service expected Melissa to be a category two hurricane when it passed the British overseas territory on Thursday night.
Government offices in Bermuda will close until Friday afternoon and all schools will shut on Friday.
“Until the official ‘All Clear’ is issued, residents are urged to stay off the roads so Government work crews can safely assess and clear debris,” a public alert from the government said.
Hurricane Melissa is forecast to become a rare category five storm as it turns towards Jamaica, bringing life-threatening flash flooding and landslides.
The cyclone, which had winds of up to 120 mph (195 km/h) as of 06:00 GMT, is currently turning north-west in the Caribbean and is expected to make landfall by Tuesday, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
It warns of power cuts and damage to infrastructure as Melissa brings up to 30 inches (76cm) of rain and sea level surges as high as 13ft (4m) above ground. “Seek shelter now,” residents have been told.
Melissa is the 13th hurricane in this year’s Atlantic season, which typically ends in November. A category five hurricane is the strongest type, with winds of at least 157mph.
While Melissa is set to weaken to a category four before reaching Jamaica, the NHC said there was “very little practical difference in the overall impacts” upon landfall, and that the hurricane will be “at least that intensity” when it hits the island.
“A multi-day period of damaging winds and heavy rainfall have begun and will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides,” the meteorological agency urged residents.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said: “I know that there are many Jamaicans who are anxious, who are very concerned, and rightfully so: you should be concerned.”But the best way to address anxiety and any nervousness and concern is to be prepared.”
Residents are being told to secure their homes with sandbags and wooden boards, and to stock up on essentials.
Landslides already being caused by the hurricane have already killed two in Haiti, the nation’s Civil Protection agency has said.
Melissa is forecast to pass over Cuba by Wednesday before moving through the Antillas Mayores and out into the Atlantic.
By the time it reaches Cuba, it is predicted to have weakened to a category three storm.
While it is hard to link individual weather events to climate change, scientists say it is making weather phenomena more common and more severe.
Ahead of the start of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted above-normal activity, citing warmer seas and potential stronger monsoon activity around West Africa – where Atlantic storms often form.
Super Eagles of Nigeria have won the 2025 Unity Cup after defeating Jamaica 5-4 on penalties at Gtech community stadium, Brentford, United Kingdom.
Both sides could not be separated in regulation time after playing a 2-2 draw, but Eric Chelle boys kept their cool from the spot to score all their shootout and clinch the Unity Cup.
Moses Simon opened the scoring in the 9th minute to give Nigeria the lead, however the lead lasted only 3 minutes as Kaheim Dixon levelled the game in the 12th minute.
Nigeria took the lead again in the 53rd minute through a wonderful strike by Samuel Chukwueze.
Nigeria were pegged back again in the 63rd minute when Jon Russell scored for Jamaica to make it 2-2.
The game went to penalty shootout after 90 minutes was not enough to separate both teams and it was Nigeria who converted all their spot kicks to win the 2025 edition of the Unity Cup.
A Zoo guide was left in premium pains after he lost his finger to a Lion.
The overzealous zoo attendant’s finger was bitten off by a lion at an attraction in St Elizabeth, one of Jamaica’s largest parishes.
According to reports, the incident occurred on Friday, May 20, at about 4:22 pm.
Eyewitnesses who filmed the unfortunate incident revealed that the zoo was coming to an end when the zoo attendant in an apparent effort to impress visitors, attempted to pet or tease the lion.
The Zoo attendant then paid the ultimate price as his right ring finger was partially bitten off after he stuck his hand through the chain-linked lion’s cage.
See video below;
Below are some reactions that trailed the video –
db_naturals_ wrote ;
But why are you standing that close to a lion? You think say na Bollywood?
mrlilgaga wrote;
Now the lion has tasted human blood,will want more and too dangerous. Needs to be sent into the deep Bush or we risk the lives of visitors and workers
_chynwe Now you have a story to tell your kids, people act foolishly. If you like lie and say you were helping Samson to fight lion.
vivian__chidimma wrote;
You never feed lion,you dey give am your hand 😂😂😂😂😂he’ll surely bite the fingers that fed him
