The Federal Government has launched the Advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Laboratory, a facility designed to drive innovations in drone technology aimed at enhancing national security and agricultural productivity.
The ceremony, held in Abuja on Thursday, was attended by top officials in the space and technology sectors, including the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, and the Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency Matthew Adepoju.
Speaking at the event, Nnaji highlighted the significance of the laboratory as a critical step toward advancing Nigeria’s capabilities in unmanned aerial systems, or drones.
He emphasised that the lab would contribute to a wide range of applications, including monitoring security threats, tracking agricultural outputs, and improving revenue collection.
“This lab will help us monitor gas leakages, detect pipeline vandalism, and enhance revenue generation by monitoring ships entering the country,” Nnaji said.
“More than 80 per cent of ships that come into Nigeria don’t pay required fees because we lack the means to monitor them.
