By Benson Daniel
The Federal Government has unveiled a renewed agricultural mechanisation policy aimed at improving farm productivity, expanding access to modern equipment and strengthening Nigeria’s food security, with plans to establish a tractor assembly plant capable of producing between 2,000 and 4,000 tractors annually.
The initiative is part of the government’s broader strategy to move Nigerian agriculture away from heavy dependence on manual labour and increase the scale and efficiency of food production across the country.
Under the mechanisation programme, the government has begun the deployment of 2,000 heavy duty tractors alongside more than 9,000 agricultural implements. The equipment is being introduced in phases, with the first phase involving 600 tractors, followed by additional deployments of 750 and 650 units.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said the programme was designed to create a sustainable mechanisation system rather than simply distribute tractors to individual farmers. The tractors are being allocated to approved Mechanisation Service Providers, who will make the equipment available to farmers through commercial services.
The approach is expected to allow smallholder farmers, many of whom cannot afford to purchase tractors, access mechanised land preparation, planting and other farm operations at a more affordable cost.
The government estimates that each tractor can service about 600 hectares annually. With the planned deployment, the programme is expected to support more than 1.2 million farmers and facilitate cultivation across over 1.5 million hectares every year.
The policy also places emphasis on maintenance and technical support. Each tractor deployed under the programme is expected to receive two years of free service support, while 36 mobile service trucks are being deployed to provide first line technical assistance.
In addition, the government is constructing seven mega mechanisation service centres across the country. These centres are expected to provide farmers and mechanisation operators with access to equipment, repairs, spare parts and other technical services.
The planned tractor assembly plant represents a major component of the government’s industrialisation objective within the agricultural sector. With an annual production capacity of between 2,000 and 4,000 tractors, the facility is expected to gradually reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported agricultural machinery while supporting the development of local manufacturing capacity.
Agricultural mechanisation remains a major challenge for Nigeria, where a large proportion of farmers still rely on manual labour and basic tools. The limited availability of tractors and other modern farm equipment has constrained the ability of farmers to cultivate larger areas and complete critical farm operations within optimal periods.
The government believes that improving mechanisation will help reduce production costs, increase yields, create employment and strengthen the agricultural value chain.
The programme is also linked to broader agricultural financing initiatives. The government has established a N50 billion catalytic financing facility and said significant funding has been mobilised to support smallholder farmers during the 2026 farming season.
Officials said the combination of mechanisation, financing and improved policy coordination would help create a more productive agricultural sector capable of supplying domestic food needs while supporting agro processing and export opportunities.
The government has also stressed that the mechanisation drive is intended to build a long term agricultural ecosystem rather than provide a short term intervention. The emphasis on local tractor assembly, maintenance infrastructure and mechanisation service providers is expected to create opportunities for private sector participation and technical skills development.
If successfully implemented, the policy could significantly improve access to farm machinery, expand cultivated areas and contribute to Nigeria’s efforts to achieve greater food security and reduce dependence on food imports.
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