Nigeria has recorded a significant milestone in its military technology drive with the development of its first indigenously-produced military-grade Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), designed by a Nigerian Air Force officer, Lieutenant Nkemdilim Anulika Ofodile.

Lieutenant Ofodile, an aerospace engineer in the Nigerian Air Force, led the design of the Tsaigumi Tactical UAV, marking a major step in Nigeria’s quest for technological self-reliance in military aviation. The UAV was officially unveiled in 2018 following a collaboration between the Nigerian Air Force and UAVision, a Portuguese defence technology company.

The Tsaigumi Tactical UAV was developed for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions across both land and maritime environments, strengthening Nigeria’s defence and security capabilities.

The project is widely regarded as a landmark achievement in the country’s aerospace and defence sector.

At the centre of the development was Lieutenant Ofodile, whose expertise in avionic systems played a critical role in the success of the project and has earned her national and international recognition as a key figure in Nigeria’s aerospace development.

Lieutenant Ofodile holds a PhD in Control Engineering from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. Her specialization in control systems, a core component of UAV technology, has made her a vital asset within the Nigerian Air Force’s engineering division.

Her achievements place her among a growing number of Nigerian women breaking barriers in the traditionally male-dominated fields of aerospace engineering and military technology. Her career is seen as an example of the expanding role of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as in defence innovation.

The success of the Tsaigumi project underscores Nigeria’s growing capacity for indigenous military technology development and highlights the country’s potential to achieve greater self-sufficiency in defence systems through local expertise and innovation. (Vanguard)