By Patricia Amogu
The Bank of Agriculture and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security have distributed 2,000 tractors and heavy-duty equipment to mechanised farmers to boost production and strengthen national food security.
The distribution, supported by Heifer International and Heifer Nigeria, was conducted under the Renewed Hope National Agricultural Mechanisation Programme (NAMP).
Speaking on Monday, BOA Managing Director Mr Ayodeji Sontinrin said the initiative aligned with the Federal Government’s plan to transform agriculture into a sustainable, productivity-driven sector.
He said the programme goes beyond distributing tractors and aims to build enduring systems that create value across the agricultural chain, especially for millions of smallholder farmers.
“NAMP is more than tractor distribution. It is a commitment to building systems that endure, generate value and serve the millions of smallholder farmers who feed the nation,” he said.
Sontinrin noted that the initiative was structured to deliver long-term economic returns while positioning Nigeria as a leading food-producing nation.
“This is an ambitious agenda, but achievable because it rests on sound principles: financial discipline, inclusive participation, digital accountability and ecosystem thinking,” he stated.
He urged beneficiaries to treat the equipment as a national trust and maximise its utilisation.
“You are not just receiving an asset; you are part of a national movement to transform Nigerian agriculture,” he said.
“Maintain your tractors, honour repayment commitments, train operators and build businesses that create jobs and deliver value.”
Sontinrin described the handover as a historic milestone in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation journey.
“This programme, the first of its kind in Nigeria and the largest in Africa, reflects President Bola Tinubu’s recognition of agriculture as a national priority,” he said.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said more than 100,000 applications were received during the first phase, demonstrating strong nationwide demand for mechanisation.
He clarified that the tractors were not allocated for private ownership but deployed through Mechanisation Service Providers under a regulated lease-to-own model.
“These tractors are entrusted to service providers to support farmers, not for private ownership,” Kyari explained.
He said each tractor could service about 600 hectares yearly, significantly increasing productivity.
“These machines are productivity multipliers, reaching about 1.2 million farmers across more than 1.5 million hectares annually. It is about national food sovereignty,” he said.
Kyari added that many service providers were youth- and women-led enterprises, supported by structured financing and sustainability mechanisms.
“BOA, with Heifer International, is deploying financing models including leasing, hire-purchase and service aggregation to ensure sustainability,” he said.
He said the ministry would provide policy oversight, quality assurance, monitoring and national capacity-building.
“This is not just equipment distribution; it is a governed transformation delivering food security, job creation and economic resilience,” Kyari said.
The programme is expected to expand access to modern equipment, reduce labour constraints, improve yields and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to commercially competitive agriculture. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
