Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, strongly defended her decision on Wednesday to publicly distribute millions of naira in direct cash grants to constituents.
Addressing public scrutiny following viral footage of the event, the lawmaker clarified that direct financial intervention was informed by explicit feedback from beneficiaries who overwhelmingly preferred cash working capital over physical business equipment.
The cash distribution took place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, during a town hall empowerment programme at the Kahal Cinema in Okene, Kogi State, marking her third anniversary in the Senate.
Disbursements ranging from ₦100,000 to ₦5,000,000 were handed out to small-scale business owners, including farmers, tailors, content creators, and local traders, to help restock inventory, expand capacity, and pay off operational debts.
Explaining the policy shift during her address, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan noted that previous empowerment initiatives distributing equipment like sewing machines often failed to deliver long-term value, as recipients frequently resold the items below market price to secure immediate liquidity.
”We rounded off our third anniversary by supporting small businesses across Kogi Central with cash grants based on their explicit needs,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said.
“From farmers and tailors to content creators, these entrepreneurs are building livelihoods. Direct financial support gives them the flexibility to buy stock or grow their ventures without forcing unwanted equipment on them.”
Speaking on behalf of the constituency outreach office, Chief Press Secretary Aledare Israel reiterated that the direct grants were tailored specifically to local market demands, ensuring that entrepreneurs received immediate capital to keep their businesses afloat in challenging economic times.
While civic tracking organisations like MonITNG have urged public officeholders to adopt institutionalised banking channels for transparent public welfare distributions, local beneficiaries at the Okene venue expressed gratitude for the direct financial relief, praising the intervention for addressing their immediate working capital needs.
