FG UNVEILS NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION POLICY, TARGETS 4,000 TRACTORS ANNUALLY

The Federal Government has unveiled the National Agricultural Mechanization Policy and the National Agricultural Mechanization Investment Strategy as part of efforts to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector and strengthen food sovereignty.

The government also announced plans to establish a mega tractor assembly plant capable of producing between 2,000 and 4,000 tractors annually.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at the High-Level National Policy Dialogue on Agricultural Mechanization in Abuja.

Kyari said the two policy instruments would provide a framework for moving Nigeria from agricultural potential to an agricultural powerhouse and from dependence on food imports to food sovereignty.

He stressed that agricultural mechanization goes beyond the provision of tractors, covering land preparation, planting, irrigation, crop protection, harvesting, processing, storage, logistics, precision agriculture, digital technology, financing, insurance, maintenance and after-sales services.

“Our ambition, therefore, must be larger than equipment ownership. We must build a Mechanization-as-a-Service economy in which technology reaches the farmer when and where it is needed, at a cost that is commercially viable and sustainably financed,” the minister said.

According to him, the Federal Government, through the Renewed Hope National Agricultural Mechanization Programme (RH-NAMP), is procuring and deploying 2,000 tractors alongside more than 9,000 assorted implements and spare parts.

Kyari described the intervention as the largest single agricultural mechanization programme undertaken in Africa, stressing that its success would ultimately be measured by the extent to which farmers can access and effectively use the equipment.

He said the proposed tractor assembly plant would help reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported machinery, promote local manufacturing, create jobs and establish a sustainable mechanization economy.

The minister called on investors, young people and women to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the agricultural mechanization sector.

“Nigeria is open for investment in agricultural mechanization. We are not seeking capital merely to purchase machines. We are seeking partners to build an enduring agricultural technology and services ecosystem,” he said.

Kyari also urged Nigerian youths to take an active role in the sector, describing agriculture as an increasingly important area of enterprise, technology and wealth creation.

He cited Borno State as an example of state-level commitment to agricultural development, noting that Governor Babagana Umara Zulum had delivered 200 truckloads of fertilizer to farmers and supported the development of more than a dozen solar-powered irrigation systems and sites.

The minister also commended TracTrac Mechanization Services Limited for training young Nigerians as mechanization service providers and deploying small-scale tractors to smallholder farmers.

Kyari outlined a shared responsibility framework under which the Federal Government would provide policy direction, standards and coordination, while state governments would support land access, infrastructure and implementation.

He said the private sector would drive investment and service delivery, financial institutions would develop financing and risk-sharing mechanisms, while development partners and research institutions would provide technical support.

The minister said the ratification of the National Agricultural Mechanization Policy and the inauguration of its Implementation Taskforce marked the beginning of the implementation phase.

Speaking at the event, Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its agricultural policies aimed at improving food production, achieving food sovereignty and promoting economic growth.

Zulum said the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s mechanization programme had the potential to significantly transform Nigeria’s agricultural ecosystem.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the mechanization initiative would improve farmers’ livelihoods and increase food production across the country.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Marcus O. Ogunbiyi, said Nigeria must confront the longstanding challenges limiting agricultural productivity, including inadequate machinery, high levels of manual labour, limited access to appropriate technologies and insufficient investment across the value chain.

Ogunbiyi emphasized that mechanization was not simply about tractors and implements but also about food security, productivity, rural development, youth employment, women’s economic empowerment and private-sector investment.

“A tractor without an operator is an idle asset. A machine without maintenance is a depreciating investment. Equipment without finance cannot reach the farmer,” he said.

He stressed the need for a national mechanization ecosystem that links machinery with financing, operators, maintenance services, spare parts, digital systems, research, standards, farmers and markets.

The Permanent Secretary also described agricultural mechanization as a major investment opportunity spanning machinery assembly and leasing, maintenance, spare-parts manufacturing, digital fleet management, operator training, irrigation, post-harvest technology and agro-processing.

He acknowledged the contributions of development partners, particularly the Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization, Institute for Agricultural Research, Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and TracTrac Mechanization Services Limited to the development of the policy frameworks.

In his opening remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of TracTrac MSL, Mr. Godson Ohuruogu, described the dialogue as a major step toward moving Nigeria from years of discussions on agricultural mechanization to the implementation of a national policy and investment strategy.

Ohuruogu said TracTrac, through its operations and the ISSAM Project supported by the Mastercard Foundation, had reached more than 500,000 farmers, catalysed over ₦2 billion in investment, trained more than 6,000 youths, women and persons with disabilities, created 3,000 jobs and established 567 cooperatives.

He said the success of the policy should ultimately be measured by its impact on farmers, particularly their ability to access timely and affordable mechanization services.

The highlight of the event was the formal unveiling of the National Agricultural Mechanization Policy and the National Agricultural Mechanization Investment Strategy by Governor Zulum.

Ezeaja Ikemefuna

Head, Department of Information

August 12, 2026

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DEEPEN ENGAGEMENT WITH CATHOLIC BISHOPS /OTHER FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS

 

The Federal Government says it will strengthen collaboration with the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, and other stakeholders to address the country's social, economic and security challenges.

A statement personally signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, says the Tinubu Administration believes lasting solutions require sustained partnership with faith-based organisations, traditional institutions, civil society, the private sector and citizens.

The statement says government remains open to constructive dialogue and honest counsel, adding that discussions with the Catholic Bishops covered issues including security, the economy, education, public services, electoral credibility and religious freedom.

The SGF reaffirmed the administration's commitment to democratic principles, stressing that it neither seeks nor supports a one-party state and will continue to respect the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

He also acknowledged the Catholic Church's contributions to national development and assured that consultations with the Bishops and other stakeholders would continue in the interest of peace, national unity and sustainable development.

FG, SOUTH AFRICA BEGIN DIPLOMATIC TALKS OVER RENEWED XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS

The Federal Government has commenced high-level diplomatic engagements with South Africa following a fresh wave of xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and other foreign nationals.

The talks, held in Abuja, brought together Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, who is visiting Nigeria as a special envoy of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

During the meeting, the Nigerian government expressed grave concern over the recurring attacks on its citizens in South Africa, describing the incidents as unacceptable. It urged the South African authorities to intensify efforts to protect foreign nationals, ensure the prosecution of perpetrators, and prevent further acts of violence.

In response, the South African delegation reaffirmed its government's commitment to combating xenophobia, racism, and all forms of discrimination. Lamola stressed that the attacks do not represent the position of the South African government and assured Nigeria that those responsible would be held accountable.

The renewed diplomatic engagement follows recent anti-immigrant violence in parts of South Africa, which has affected several foreign nationals, including Nigerians, and raised concerns over their safety.

Both countries agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation, enhance communication between their governments, and work jointly to preserve their longstanding diplomatic and economic relations while addressing the recurring challenge of xenophobic violence.