Tinubu commissions over 10,000 farm equipment

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned over 10,000 farm equipment, complimentary implements and sets of spare parts to boost agricultural mechanisation in the country. The president commissioned the equipment yesterday at Sheda, Kwali Area Council of FCT, to increase the level of agricultural mechanisation in Nigeria the country. The equipment included 2000 tractors, 10 state-of-the-art […]

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned over 10,000 farm equipment, complimentary implements and sets of spare parts to boost agricultural mechanisation in the country.

The president commissioned the equipment yesterday at Sheda, Kwali Area Council of FCT, to increase the level of agricultural mechanisation in Nigeria the country.

The equipment included 2000 tractors, 10 state-of-the-art 330-horsepower combined harvesters, 12 fully equipped mobile workshops, and over 9,000 complimentary implements and 9,000 sets of spare parts.

The sets of equipment supplied are a key part of the five-year agreement between the federal government and the Republic of Belarus, which will last from 2024 to 2029.

President Tinubu, while commissioning the equipment, said it marked the beginning of his administration’s will to drive farm mechanisation for food sovereignty.

“You don’t have to use 18th-century method for 21st-century agricultural farming. Our strategy encompasses year-round cultivation, drastically reducing our historical vulnerability to seasonal tragedy.

“To all stakeholders receiving this equipment, deploy them with maximum efficiency. We will work with you, we will supervise you at various locations, and we will hold you accountable. Let history recall this day as the beginning of Nigeria’s agricultural renewal, where modern technology made our farmers’ legendary resilience to great unprecedented prosperity.

“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,” the president said.

The tractors and other equipment were supplied following the approval of the Federal Executive Council in August 2024 for the supply of 9,022 units of various agricultural mechanisation equipment and spare parts from Belarus to Nigeria.

Earlier in his address, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the programme was designed by this administration to bring over 550,000 hectares of farmland under cultivation to generate more than 2 million metric tons of staple food.

Kyari said the programme was also expected to “create over 16,000 jobs, and directly benefit more than 550,000 farming households across the six geopolitical zones. Beyond equipment delivery, this initiative offers a complex support system.”

The minister said the package includes mandatory training for operators and mechanics, GPS-enabled tracking for transparency and accountability, a structured repayment and repossession framework, and financing through development and non-interest banks.

The Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister, Viktor Karankevich, in his address said his country was committed to helping Nigeria boost its food security, adding that the bilateral relations between the two countries will foster economic development.

The deputy prime minister attended the event with   the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic, Mr Maxim Ryzhenkov, along with the management of Belarusian industrial enterprises.