Biography of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, politics, controversies, net worth

Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan is a Nigerian barrister and politician, currently serving as the representative for Kogi Central Senatorial District in the 10th Nigeria National Assembly.

Since stepping into the political arena in 2019, she has been a strong advocate for transparency, development, and economic reforms in her region.

Profile overview

Name: Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan

Born: December 9, 1979

State of origin: Kogi

Education: University of Abuja

Relationship status: Married

Career: Politician

Early life

Born on December 9, 1979, Akpoti-Uduaghan comes from a diverse cultural background.

Her father, Jimoh Abdul Akpoti, hailed from Kogi State, Nigeria, while her mother, Ludmila Kravchenk, was from Chernivtsi, Ukraine.

She spent her early years in Ihima, Okehi, and faced challenges following her father’s passing in 1998, which led to her family’s relocation.

Academic journey

Natasha pursued a Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Abuja (2000–2004) and completed her legal training at the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, in 2005.

Seeking further expertise, she obtained a Master’s degree in Oil and Gas Management from the University of Dundee in 2012.

Early career

Akpoti-Uduaghan began her legal career as a counsel at Brass LNG, where she worked between 2007 and 2010.

In 2015, she founded the Builders Hub Impact Investment Program (BHIIP), a venture dedicated to sustainable infrastructure and economic growth.

Her advocacy work gained national recognition in 2018 when she presented an investigative report on the Ajaokuta Steel Mill project to the National Assembly.

The report exposed decades of mismanagement and financial corruption, drawing both praise and controversy.

Critics, including the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, accused her of bias, but a High Court in Abuja ruled in her favor, awarding her N10 million in damages over defamatory publications.

Political career

Entering politics in 2018, Akpoti-Uduaghan contested for the Kogi Central Senatorial seat under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) but lost.

She later joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and, in May 2022, won the party’s senatorial primary to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Abubakar Ohere, in the 2023 elections.

The election was marred by tension, including reported excavation of roads leading to her district, allegedly to obstruct the transportation of electoral materials.

The Kogi State government defended the act as a security measure against criminal activities.

In February 2023, Akpoti-Uduaghan lost the election by a slim margin, 51,763 votes to Ohere’s 52,132.

However, on September 6, 2023, the election tribunal nullified Ohere’s victory and declared her the rightful winner.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld this ruling on October 31, 2023, solidifying her position as Kogi Central’s Senator.

Personal Life

Proud of her Ebira heritage, Akpoti-Uduaghan is a mother of three.

On March 5, 2022, she married Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, the Alema of Warri, in a traditional ceremony in Ihima.

Controversies

In March 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, alleging that he made inappropriate advances and suggested she needed to “take care of him” for her motions to gain favorable consideration.

Akpabio has denied the allegations, maintaining his commitment to integrity and decorum.

Tensions rose in February 2025 when Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Senate seat was reassigned following a reshuffle prompted by opposition defections.

She protested the move, calling it an act of harassment that impeded her legislative duties. The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions has launched an investigation into the matter.

After publicly expressing her frustrations over the seat reassignment during a plenary session, Akpoti-Uduaghan faced backlash from advocacy groups like the Africa Arise for Change Network, which labeled her reaction “disgraceful” and “unbefitting of a public officeholder.”

The group emphasized the need for composure and leadership, particularly among female lawmakers.

Net worth

Estimates of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s net worth vary across sources, with reports suggesting she is worth approximately $5 million, attributed to her career in law, entrepreneurship, and politics.