By Gabriel Ameh
NEW YORK — Nigeria and Jamaica have signed an Agreement on Technical Assistance aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation and expanding the reach of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Programme in Jamaica.
The agreement was signed on September 25, 2026, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on the sidelines of the high-level meeting of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81).
The signing followed a meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.
According to a statement by the Minister’s Media Assistant, Dr. Magnus Eze, the two ministers discussed opportunities to deepen relations between Nigeria and Jamaica and strengthen people-to-people exchanges between both countries.
Senator Johnson Smith expressed appreciation for the contribution of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps Programme to Jamaica’s development, particularly in health, education and local fabric artisanry.
She also indicated Jamaica’s interest in receiving more Nigerian professionals, including nurses and teachers, through the programme in the future.
The Jamaican Foreign Minister said the TAC Programme had contributed not only to the transfer of technical skills but also to cultural and creative exchanges between Nigerians and Jamaicans.
She pointed to “JADIRE” as one example of this cultural exchange. The concept combines Jamaican designs with Nigeria’s traditional Adire tie-and-dye textile technique and was developed by Jamaican artisans following training under Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps Programme in 2018.
Both ministers also acknowledged opportunities for further cooperation and agreed to explore additional areas of mutual interest through existing bilateral platforms and other channels.
The meeting concluded with the formal signing of the Technical Assistance Agreement, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to strengthening Nigeria-Jamaica relations and expanding practical cooperation.
Source: Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria.
