President Bola Tinubu has flagged off the distribution of 2,000 tractors and numerous agricultural tools as part of the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme—an initiative designed to enhance food security and promote economic growth across Nigeria.
At the official launch held in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu reiterated his administration’s dedication to fulfilling its pledges and fostering a resilient agricultural sector for the nation.
“Today, we take a monumental leap forward with the introduction of the state-of-the-art tractors through our new agricultural mechanisation programme. We are very proud of what we are doing,” he stated.
The President also reflected on a warning he issued two years ago regarding the looming risks to Nigeria’s food supply and noted that he had tasked his team with finding creative and effective solutions.
“We made a promise when we came in. We are fulfilling that promise. Two years ago, I sounded the alarm on our nation’s food security. While we are here, there are over 2,000 advanced tractors, 50 industrial-grade land preparation booths, 12 fully equipped mobile workshops, and 8,000-plus specialised farming implements. This equipment, when deployed to empower mechanisation and service providers, creates job opportunities.”
Tinubu stressed the overarching goal of shifting Nigeria’s status from a food-importing country to a leading force in global agriculture.
“Our ambition extends beyond mere self-sufficiency. We envision Nigeria as a global agricultural powerhouse. Supplying quality produce to international markets while ensuring every citizen has access to affordable nutrition,” he said.
He highlighted that the initial stage of the project involves deploying more than 2,000 modern tractors, 50 heavy-duty bulldozers for land preparation, 12 fully equipped mobile repair units, and over 8,000 specialized agricultural tools.
“You don’t have to use an 18th-century method for a 21st-century agricultural family,” he stated.
Tinubu also revealed a collaboration with Belarus to educate Nigerian youths in operating machinery, performing repairs, and mastering mechanization technology.
“We have Belarus committed to a programme that will empower our youth, teach them how to do things, get them off the streets, empower them in technology, review mechanisation, empower them in machine repairs and fabrication,” he stated.
Tinubu reiterated his call for accountability and effective use of the agricultural equipment by beneficiaries.
“To all stakeholders receiving this equipment, deploy it with maximum efficiency. We will work with you, we will supervise you at various locations, and we will hold you accountable,” he warned.
The President also applauded the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. “I sincerely commend the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for their productive effort in addressing the food crisis and maintaining stability with our food system. Together, we shall cultivate a future where Nigeria is not only sustaining itself, but nourishes the world over,” Tinubu said.
During the launch, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, described the programme as “the single largest mechanisation drive ever undertaken in Nigeria.”
He further emphasized the President’s early commitment to the sector, saying, “From the very first days of this administration, Mr President made it abundantly clear. Food security is national security.”
Kyari noted that the programme aligns with four major mechanisation schemes under the Renewed Hope Agenda: the John Deere Tractorisation Programme, the Greener Hope Project, the Green Imperative Programme, and the Belarus Project.
He credited the swift rollout of the initiative to a technical partnership with AFTRADE DMCC, a global leader in agricultural machinery.
“Never in Nigeria’s history have we witnessed an agricultural mechanisation initiative of this scale, ambition, and national focus,” Kyari stated.
According to him, the programme includes the deployment of 2,000 advanced tractors with trailers, ploughs, harrows, sprayers, and planters, in addition to 10 combined harvesters, 12 mobile workshops, 50 bulldozers for land clearing, and over 9,000 supplementary farming tools and spare parts.
Kyari outlined the programme’s goals, which include cultivating more than 550,000 hectares of land, producing over two million metric tonnes of staple food, creating upwards of 16,000 jobs, and directly benefiting over 550,000 farming households.
“This is not just about distributing tractors. It is about transforming the entire narrative of Nigerian agriculture, from subsistence to scale, from effort to efficiency, from hand hoes to horsepower,” he explained.
The initiative also features compulsory training for machine operators, GPS tracking for accountability, and financing options through development and non-interest banks.
“Mechanisation must inspire a new generation of agri-preneurs,” Kyari added. “We are already building a Nigeria that grows what it eats and eats what it grows.”
