Nigeria And Saint Lucia Forge New Partnership With Technical Manpower Agreement.
Nigeria has taken a significant step towards strengthening ties with the Caribbean by signing a Technical Manpower Assistance (TMA) agreement with Saint Lucia. The landmark deal, formalised on 2nd July 2025 in Castries, Saint Lucia, will see skilled Nigerian professionals, including teachers, doctors, and agriculturists, deployed to the Caribbean nation to bolster South-South cooperation and reconnect with the African diaspora.
The agreement was signed by Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, on behalf of Nigeria, and Janelle Modeste-Stephen, Acting Permanent Secretary of Saint Lucia’s Ministry of External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation, and Diaspora Affairs. Described as a “great achievement” by Yakub, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s 4D foreign policy framework—Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Demography—aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s global influence while promoting professional development and cultural exchange.
Under the TMA agreement, Nigerian professionals will serve as volunteers for two-year assignments in Saint Lucia, with Nigeria covering their allowances and logistics, while the host nation provides accommodation and local support. The programme is part of a broader effort to deepen ties with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), following President Tinubu’s directive to expand technical aid in the region.
The initiative also includes cultural and educational exchange opportunities, offering Saint Lucian students a chance to reconnect with their African heritage through scholarships and cultural programmes. Yakub emphasised the significance of the agreement, noting it as a step towards fostering solidarity with historically connected nations and strengthening Nigeria’s role in Pan-African diplomacy.
This development comes amidst Nigeria’s renewed commitment to the African diaspora, highlighted by President Tinubu’s recent state visit to Saint Lucia, where he addressed a Special Joint Sitting of Parliament and reaffirmed Nigeria’s Afrocentric policies. The TMA agreement marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria-Saint Lucia relations, promising mutual benefits through shared expertise and cultural reconnection.
