KOGI, Nigeria — Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the National Assembly, has distributed large sums of cash to constituents in what her office described as a business grants and empowerment programme marking her third year in the Senate.
A video circulating widely on social media on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, shows stacks of bundled naira notes piled on tables inside a large hall filled with residents. Crowds of people, many seated or standing, appear to wait as the cash is displayed and distributed during a town hall-style gathering in the senatorial district.
The senator, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reportedly framed the cash as support for small-scale entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). According to reports, she explained that she switched to direct cash after earlier distributing sewing machines, only to find that some beneficiaries sold the equipment rather than using them for business. The cash, she indicated, would allow recipients to start or restock businesses as they preferred.
The initiative forms part of activities commemorating three years of her representation of Kogi Central. Related anniversary efforts have included the donation of laptops and smart devices to selected secondary schools in the district to support digital learning.
The timing of the cash distribution has drawn mixed reactions online. Critics questioned why such large-scale cash handouts are occurring ahead of the 2027 general elections, with some describing the display as resembling vote-buying or political patronage. Others argued that constituents need sustainable infrastructure, jobs and basic amenities rather than periodic cash gifts. Defenders noted that similar empowerment programmes are common among Nigerian politicians and that the senator has previously distributed items such as rice, fertilisers and trade tools outside election periods.
Akpoti-Uduaghan has been actively engaging constituents and recently began aspects of her re-election outreach in the district, drawing support from PDP candidates for related seats. She has repeatedly stated that her relationship with the people of Kogi Central extends beyond election seasons and that her interventions cover education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and economic empowerment.
No official statement detailing the exact total amount distributed or the number of individual beneficiaries was immediately available from her media team at the time of reporting. The senator’s office has previously highlighted a range of constituency projects, including markets, solar-powered water systems, streetlights and skills training.
The video and resulting discussion reflect ongoing public scrutiny in Nigeria over the use of constituency funds, the optics of cash distributions by public officials, and the line between legitimate empowerment and electoral inducement as the country approaches the 2027 polls.
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