President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, launched the deployment of over 2,000 advanced tractors and thousands of other agricultural equipment under the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme.
The initiative, unveiled at Sheda, Kwali Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was part of a push by the federal government to modernise agriculture, drive food sovereignty, youth empowerment and national economic revival through transformative agrarian reform.
Speaking at the launch event, President Tinubu declared the beginning of what he described as an agricultural renaissance, stating that the initiative marked a critical step towards achieving Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a global agricultural powerhouse.
The programme, described as the single largest agricultural mechanisation rollout in Nigeria’s history, was designed to enhance land cultivation efficiency and drastically reduce seasonal food shortages.
It featured not only 2,000 tractors but also over 9,000 specialised implements, 12 mobile workshops, 50 industrial-grade land preparation equipment and thousands of spare parts.
According to the President, the project aimed to make farming more attractive to youth, reduce drudgery in agriculture, and create viable agribusiness opportunities.
The President also emphasised accountability in equipment deployment, warning stakeholders that the federal government would closely supervise and evaluate the impact of the programme across states.
President Tinubu also highlighted international cooperation, particularly with Belarus, whose partnership with the Nigerian government was instrumental in delivering the agricultural machinery.
“We are taking a monumental leap forward with the introduction of state-of-the-art equipment to our new mechanisation programme, this government recognises that agricultural productivity is synonymous with national stability and food sovereignty.
“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 food.
“That’s why we took a bold decision to establish this Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, we are just beginning, deploy them with maximum efficiency, we will hold you accountable,” the President said.
Earlier, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, described the event as the single largest agricultural mechanisation rollout in Nigeria’s history.
He said the programme would bring over 550,000 hectares of land into active cultivation, generate more than two million metric tonnes (MT) of staple food and create over 16,000 new jobs nationwide.
According to Kyari, in addition to equipment distribution, the programme includes GPS-enabled tracking, structured repayment systems, non-interest financing, and mandatory training for operators and mechanics.
The minister added that key research and training institutions are also receiving support to build capacity for sustaining the mechanisation drive.
Kyari further noted that the initiative will not only impact food production but also stimulate growth in logistics, extension services, equipment repair, and agro-tech innovation especially among Nigeria’s growing youth population.
“This is not just a programme launch, it is a bold affirmation that agriculture is again at the heart of Nigeria’s development, we are transforming the entire narrative from subsistence to scale, from effort to efficiency, and from hand-held tools to horsepower.
“We are already building a Nigeria that grows what it eats and eats what it grows, the outcomes of this intervention must be visible across markets, households, processing centres, and export points,” the minister stated.
