Sunday July 20, 2025
By TheNewsDESK |
Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has successfully trained and empowered 250 constituents with cutting-edge digital and technical skills aimed at fostering innovation, employment, and self-reliance.
According to The Guardian, the intensive programme, which was held at her residence in Kogi Central, featured specialised training for 80 beneficiaries in high-impact areas of Drone Security and Environmental Sustainability/Remediation, Advanced Welding, 50 beneficiaries in Fabrication Techniques, 50 beneficiaries for Renewable Energy Installation, and 70 beneficiaries for Data Analytics and Digital Transformation.
The initiative is part of the senator’s broader commitment to equipping youth and learning institutions with employable skills and modern tools for sustainable development.
Speaking during the closing ceremony, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan described the project as a strategic human capital development initiative designed to bridge the technology and skill gap across Nigeria’s evolving socio-economic landscape.
“Our people deserve to be empowered with the very best of technology for self-reliance,” she said.
A standout highlight of the event was the distribution of 80 DJI Neo drones to individual trainees and academic institutions.
The drones, she explained, are compliant with Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regulations, weighing under 250 grams, and are capable of supporting a variety of applications beyond the traditional photography and videography use cases.
Senator Natasha emphasised that drone technology is a game-changer for security, agriculture, construction, oil & gas, delivery logistics, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure surveillance.
She drew inspiration from countries such as South Africa, Egypt, Malawi, and Ethiopia, which have successfully integrated drone innovation into national development strategies.
“Drone technology is the new frontier of socio-economic development, not only in Africa but globally. By distributing these drones freely to individuals and learning institutions, we are setting a national precedent for innovation-led capacity building,” she noted.
As part of the outreach, the Departments of Geology and Environmental Science from 10 Nigerian tertiary institutions were invited to benefit from the drone technology empowerment.
The beneficiary institutions included Federal College of Education, Okene; Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara; Kogi State University, Anyigba; Federal University, Lokoja; and Federal Polytechnic, Idah.
Others are Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja; University of Ilorin; Bayero University, Kano; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; and Federal University of Science and Technology, Minna.
According to the senator, the goal is to equip academic institutions with modern learning tools, enhance students’ technical exposure, and ensure hands-on experience in emerging fields.
This empowerment programme is coming after two other major development projects spearheaded by Senator Natasha—the construction of two smart markets in Kogi Central with a combined 160 shops, and the distribution of 700 computers to students of Abdul-Azeez Attah Memorial College, Okene (AAAMCO).
Reaffirming her commitment, the senator stated: “This is just the beginning. Our people deserve the best, and we will continue to open doors to technology, innovation, and economic empowerment.”