By Lanre Shodimu
The Federal government of Nigeria as part of its efforts at enhancing food security has launched what it described as the largest single agricultural mechanisation programme ever undertaken in Africa, unveiling a nationwide deployment of 2,000 tractors and over 9,000 precision implements to boost productivity, expand cultivated land and strengthen food security.
If flagged off the programme under the Renewed Hope National Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, marking a major policy shift from equipment distribution to structured, service-based mechanisation.
Speaking at the event, Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security said the initiative was designed to end Nigeria’s long-standing mechanisation deficit and reposition agriculture as a driver of inclusive growth.
He said Nigeria’s tractor density of 0.27 remains far below the African average of 2.5 and the global benchmark of 3, stressing that the programme would significantly lift productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and shorten production cycles.
He said under the framework, tractors will not be allocated for private ownership, instead, they will be deployed through mechanisation service providers, each expected to service about 600 hectares annually. The model targets coverage of more than 1.5 million hectares and direct support for over 1.2 million farmers each year.
Kyari said the rollout would be executed in phases, beginning with 600 tractors, followed by 750 and then 650, culminating in a nationwide fleet of 2,000 mechanisation assets.
He said the programme integrates financing, policy support and maintenance structures to ensure sustainability, noting that each tractor would come with two years of free service support and be backed by 36 mobile workshops and seven mega mechanisation service centres across the geopolitical zones.
According to him, plans are also underway to establish a mega tractor assembly plant with capacity to produce between 2,000 and 4,000 units annually, aimed at reducing import dependence and building domestic industrial capacity.
Speaking earlier,Ayodeji Adeyemi, managing director and chief executive officer, Bank of Agriculture, BOA said the programme marked a turning point in Nigeria’s agriculture transformation journey, shifting from asset handouts to a revolving, business-driven mechanisation ecosystem.
Over 10,000 applications were received for the first phase, reflecting strong market confidence. He said.
