The University of Technology and Arts of Byumba (UTAB) has received a delegation of five volunteering academic experts and professors from Nigeria. They will share their expertise in fields including agriculture, engineering, accounting, and finance over the next two years. The official handover of volunteers from Nigeria to Rwanda took place on Friday, February 21, at the Nigerian High Commission in Kigali, between Nigeria’s acting High Commissioner, Amb Ibrahim Zanna, and UTAB’s Vice-Chancellor, Fr. Dr Gilbert Munana, O.P. ALSO READ: FEATURED: SKOL Brewery investment in UTAB students Ambassador Zanna welcomed the volunteers and highlighted the significance of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), which has facilitated knowledge sharing across Africa for over three decades. “One of the arms of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria is the Directorate of Technical Aid Corps (NTAC),” he noted. “Historically, over the last three or four decades, the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) has been assisting Africa South-South Cooperation with experts wherever it’s needed.” South-South Cooperation is a framework for African nations to share knowledge, skills, and best practices in tackling developmental challenges collaboratively. According to Amb Zanna, NTAC operates through agreements between Nigeria and recipient countries. Institutions or individuals can explore this opportunity, but it must be facilitated through Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MINAFET), Zanna said. “Usually, it's an agreement based on the two countries, and they will look at what areas that they want support from. Some might be nurses, some might be doctors,” Zanna explained. “In this case, you needed intellectuals and academicians to teach in your universities. Then the directorate looked for the necessary volunteers who have the requisite qualifications and are willing to come and offer this service to fellow African countries.” He further noted that the programme is fully funded by the Nigerian government, covering the volunteers’ allowances. The receiving country or institution provides additional basic support based on mutually agreed terms. “Usually, it's for two years, and it's renewable,” he added. Munana expressed gratitude for the initiative, emphasising that it marks the beginning of a valuable academic partnership. “Today, we were fortunate to receive experts in teaching and research who came from Nigeria,” Munana stated. “This is a long-lasting relationship that our university is opening, but in truth, our country has always had that with Nigeria.” According to Munana, UTAB initially requested 16 experts, and the institution is expecting additional arrivals in the coming days. “We were fortunate to receive five experts today, and we anticipate two more soon and more experts because we requested 16 experts,” he noted. “We expect them to contribute to the quality of education,” he noted Munana explained that UTAB learned about the programme through MINAFET and worked closely with the Rwanda High Commission in Nigeria to facilitate their request for volunteers. “This programme dispatches selected teaching and research professionals from Nigeria based on the specific needs of the requesting institution. So, there happened a time to communicate who we needed,” he said. Munana highlighted that beyond this initiative, Rwanda and Nigeria have maintained a history of academic collaboration through student and faculty exchange programmes, emphasising the two countries’ commitment to sharing academic expertise. He highlighted that many Rwandan students pursue higher education in Nigeria, some through government scholarships and others via cooperative agreements with Nigerian universities. Similarly, Nigerian students are also enrolled in Rwandan universities. “I visited Nigeria and I noticed there are many Rwandan students in different universities. Some are on government scholarships and others received scholarships through good cooperation with Nigeria. There are even Nigerians studying here in Rwanda,” he said. The Vice-Chancellor extended his appreciation to the government of Rwanda for fostering strong international relations and assured the volunteers of safety and warm hospitality during their two-year tenure at UTAB. According to Munana, the volunteers include professors and senior lecturers specialising in geography, environmental management, accounting and finance, computer and information engineering, electrical engineering, and agricultural engineering Munana underscored that UTAB has faculties aligned with the volunteers’ areas of expertise and aims to leverage this opportunity to elevate the quality of education. He also emphasised UTAB’s ongoing collaborations with Nigerian universities and research institutions. “UTAB has relationships with other universities and research institutions in Nigeria,” he stated. “We thank the Rwanda High Commission in Nigeria for helping us get these experts by informing us and working with different institutions like MINAFET and the Nigerian High Commission in Rwanda.”
