Senator Natasha Empowers 250 Beneficiaries with Drones, Laptops and Tools Across Nigeria

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has trained and empowered 250 individuals and institutions across Nigeria with cutting-edge tools, including drones, laptops, and engineering equipment.

“It’s not in contention that drone technology is the new frontier of socio-economic development not only in Africa but globally. Hence, our office freely trained and distributed 80 drones to individuals and learning institutions, thereby raising Nigeria’s standard as an African leader in innovative capacity-building technologies,” the senator announced.

While drones are popularly used for photography and videography, participants were also educated on broader applications, including construction, oil and gas, agriculture, delivery services, environmental monitoring, geographic mapping, and telecommunications.

In a strong show of support for education, Senator Natasha extended invitations to the departments of Geology and Environmental Science from ten tertiary institutions nationwide.

Each of the participating institutions received a drone to enhance practical learning. These institutions include: Federal College of Education, Okene; Kogi State University, Anyigba; Federal University, Lokoja; Federal Polytechnic, Idah; University of Ilorin; Bayero University, Kano; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; and Federal University of Science and Technology, Minna. (Two invited institutions — Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, and Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja — were absent.)

The beneficiaries also spanned several states, including Zamfara, Ondo, Oyo, Delta, Borno, Cross River, Edo, Abia, Imo, and Akwa Ibom. To ensure regulatory compliance, the senator emphasized that all distributed drones are sub-250g and meet NCAA guidelines.

Beyond drone technology, the empowerment initiative included 80 DJI drones for tech-driven innovation, 70 HP laptops for data analytics training, 50 engineering toolboxes with safety kits, and 50 welding machines and protective gear.

“All unto God,” Senator Natasha concluded, celebrating the success of the program with her signature phrase, “Kogi Central to the world. Only the best would do.”

The initiative reinforces Senator Natasha’s commitment to positioning Kogi Central as a hub for innovation, skill development, and national impact.