Nigeria’s drive to strengthen its security architecture through indigenous technology has received a boost with the unveiling of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) training centre by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) in Kaduna State.
Speaking at the event, Governor Uba Sani and the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, underscored the need for Nigeria to end its overdependence on foreign security and agricultural technology by developing local expertise in the operation, maintenance and adaptation of critical equipment.
Governor Sani described the centre as an investment in innovation, skills development and economic growth. He particularly highlighted the facility’s female-led structure, noting that women constitute at least sixty per cent of its participants.
According to him, the initiative would expand opportunities for women to contribute to Nigeria’s emerging aviation and technology sectors.
Today, I had the honour of chairing and serving as Special Guest of Honour at three engagements organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), in collaboration with the Kaduna State Government: the groundbreaking of the NASENI Skill Development Centre, the launch of the NASENI Sustainable Empowerment Programme, and the commissioning of the NASCAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Training Facility.
Together, these initiatives advance a central responsibility of government: equipping citizens with the skills, resources and opportunities to build secure livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to national development.
The Sustainable Empowerment Programme will provide 500 beneficiaries across our 23 local government areas with solar home systems, clean cookstoves and financial assistance, supporting household welfare and productive capacity. The Skill Development Centre will widen access to practical training, while the NASCAV UAV Training Facility will strengthen specialised technical education, research and innovation, including applications in agriculture and other critical sectors.
I sincerely appreciate His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his commitment to science, technology, skills development and economic empowerment. His support demonstrates how the Renewed Hope Agenda can translate national priorities into opportunities within communities, giving more Nigerians the means to improve their circumstances.
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— Senator Uba Sani (@ubasanius) October 19, 2026
“Access must be integral to that ambition. Women, persons with disabilities and young people in underserved communities must have meaningful opportunities to participate. Their inclusion will broaden our pool of talent and ensure that the benefits of development reach households too often excluded from opportunity,’’ he added.
“Kaduna State has provided the required site and remains fully committed to facilitating this project. I commend the contractors for mobilising equipment and demonstrating readiness to commence work.
“Government has a responsibility to create conditions in which these qualities can flourish through relevant training, recognised qualifications and fair access to productive opportunities. This conviction informs our investment in the Kaduna State Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development.
“In August, we celebrated 4,050 graduates from its campuses in Rigachikun, Soba and Samaru Kataf. Their training covered 14 trades, including Electrical Installation, Aluminium Fabrication, Solar Installation, Mechatronics, Computer Hardware Repairs and Maintenance, Catering and Hospitality, and Fashion Design,’’ he said.
Governor Sani disclosed that ‘’the Institute secured accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education, while instructors received training as Quality Assurance Assessors and Internal Quality Assurance Managers.’’
He said, “These measures strengthen the credibility of assessment and certification, giving employers greater confidence in the competence of our graduates.
“Today, we lay the foundation for an institution that will expand opportunity, strengthen productive capacity and prepare our people for the demands of a changing economy.
“The NASENI Skill Development Centre represents an investment in the knowledge, competence and enterprise through which individuals build secure livelihoods and societies achieve lasting prosperity,’’ he added.
The Minister of Defence, represented by the Commandant of the Air Force Institute of Technology, Air Vice Marshal Adeniran Ademuwagun, noted with concern that the over- reliance on foreign suppliers could expose the country to security vulnerabilities, particularly where access to technical information, equipment maintenance and critical systems depended on external partners.
He stressed that locally trained personnel would improve equipment availability, strengthen intelligence gathering and enhance the operational capacity of security agencies.
Meanwhile, the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Khalil Halilu, described the UAV Training Centre as a strategic investment in indigenous technological development.
Halilu explained that UAV technology could support not only security operations but also agriculture, healthcare and infrastructure monitoring, while creating new opportunities for young Nigerians.
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