Nearly four months after President Bola Tinubu unveiled ₦50 billion worth of tractors and farm tools, the equipment remains unused in Abuja.
Officials say deployment has stalled pending final approval from the Presidency.
Nearly four months after President Bola Tinubu unveiled ₦50 billion worth of tractors and farm equipment to boost food production, the machines remain parked at the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) headquarters a sign of yet another stalled reform in the nation’s agricultural sector.
The initiative, part of the government’s Renewed Hope agricultural program, had introduced 2,000 tractors, 2,000 ploughs and harrows, 1,000 ridgers, 1,200 trailers, 500 seed drills, and several other tools. At the launch, attended by Belarusian representatives, the President said the move would expand food security, support farmers, and create new jobs for young Nigerians.
According to him, the program was meant to mark a turning point in modernizing agriculture and driving the country toward food self-sufficiency.
But months later, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has yet to distribute the equipment. Officials say they are still awaiting final directives from the Presidency, leaving the machinery unused as the farming season advances.
Insiders revealed that decision-making has slowed considerably and that the ministry cannot act until it receives specific approval from the Presidency.
Agriculture Minister Abubakar Kyari had earlier outlined three possible channels for deployment direct sales to cooperatives, leasing models, and tractor service centres to ensure that farmers could access the equipment at affordable rates. However, the plan has since stalled, forcing many farmers to continue struggling with rising labour costs and poor mechanization.
Daniel Okafor, Vice President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), said farmers were growing anxious over the silence that followed the initial fanfare. “When the project was launched, we were hopeful it would change the game,” he explained. “But since then, we’ve heard nothing new about how or when the machines will reach us.”
Agricultural expert Professor Simon Tuange of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University warned that further delay could render the equipment useless for the current season. He urged the government to complement deployment with training and maintenance centres to prevent deterioration. “Mechanization is the backbone of modern farming,” he noted. “Without timely use and proper servicing, those tractors will end up as wasted potential.”
