The Nigerian government has officially launched the deployment of 2,000 tractors, over 9,000 implements, and spare parts under the Renewed Hope National Agricultural Mechanization Programme to boost food production, improve farmers’ incomes, and achieve national food sovereignty.
The flag-off ceremony was held in Sheda, Abuja, where the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, described the initiative as the largest single agricultural mechanization programme ever undertaken on the African continent.
“This is not merely an equipment rollout. It is the ignition of a national agricultural productivity revolution, ending the long era of low tractor density in Nigeria,” the Minister stated.
According to a statement issued by Ezeaja Ikemefuna, Head of the Department of Information, Senator Kyari explained that the programme will deploy 2,000 heavy-capacity tractors and over 9,000 precision implements under a structured national framework.
The rollout will occur in phases, beginning with 600 tractors, followed by 750 and 650 tractors respectively.
Rather than distribute the tractors for private ownership, the government is entrusting them to Mechanization Service Providers (MSPs) under a lease-to-own model.
Each tractor is expected to service approximately 600 hectares annually, benefiting an estimated 1.2 million farmers across more than 1.5 million hectares every year. Many MSPs are youth- and women-led enterprises.
The Minister emphasized that the Ministry will oversee policy direction, standards governance, lifecycle asset management, quality assurance, and performance monitoring to ensure sustainability.
“Mechanization without maintenance is expenditure. Mechanization with maintenance is investment,” he noted, announcing that each tractor will come with two years of free service support.
To ensure efficiency and sustainability, the government is also deploying 36 mobile service trucks for rapid technical response and constructing seven mega mechanization service centers nationwide. Plans are underway to establish a mega tractor assembly plant capable of producing between 2,000 and 4,000 tractors annually.
“We are not importing dependency. We are building industrial capability,” Kyari said.
The Bank of Agriculture (BOA), in collaboration with Heifer International, will deploy structured financing models including leasing, hire-purchase, and performance-based systems to guarantee equitable access and sustainability. Additionally, a ₦50 billion catalytic seed fund through the Bank of Industry (BOI) will support agro-industrial investments, while ₦250 billion has been mobilized to finance one million smallholder farmers during the current wet season.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, assured stakeholders that the programme will operate fairly and inclusively, especially for women farmers.
The Managing Director of BOA, Mr. Ayo Sotinrin, disclosed that over 10,000 applications have already been received in the first phase. He stressed that each tractor must service at least 600 hectares annually to ensure economic viability and long-term sustainability.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector through structured mechanization, strategic financing, and inclusive participation.