Nigeria And Namibia Seek Closer Ties During High-Level Visit.

By Caroline Ameh

In a bid to strengthen bilateral relations, Namibia has shown keen interest in the operations of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (TAC) and reaffirmed its commitment to the Nigeria-Namibia Joint Commission of Cooperation.

This development emerged during a visit by Namibian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Humphrey Geiseb, to the TAC office in Abuja on Wednesday. The meeting revealed Namibia’s desire to learn from the Nigerian model and enhance cooperation under the joint commission.

Ambassador Geiseb highlighted the positive impact of the TAC Scheme in Namibia over the years, noting Nigeria’s crucial role in Namibia’s pre-independence development across various sectors, including health, agriculture, education, and more. He acknowledged that Nigerian-trained professionals were instrumental in Namibia’s transition from colonial rule and praised the TAC for contributing to a robust pool of skilled professionals in Namibia.

Geiseb’s visit aimed to explore best practices from the TAC and identify potential areas where Namibia could benefit further. He also called for renewed efforts at the ministerial level to revive the Joint Commission, which last convened fourteen years ago, to bolster bilateral relations and mutual interests.

Responding, TAC Director General Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub welcomed the visit and reaffirmed the Nigerian government’s dedication to continuing its technical assistance initiatives. He commended the TAC Scheme’s role in transcending geographical barriers and fostering skill transfer and cultural exchange.

Yakub assured that the TAC would support Namibia’s requests for technical assistance and indicated plans to discuss Namibia’s proposal for a new session of the Joint Commission with Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar.

The meeting was attended by key TAC officials, including the Director of Administration Amb. Yakubu Abdullahi Ahmed, Director of Programmes Amb. Zakari Usman, and Deputy Director Mrs. Meimunat Haruna Mustapha, among others.

The Namibian delegation included Mr. Morris Sisinzi, Under Secretary at the Namibian High Commission in Abuja.