Seventy days have passed since the Federal Government launched a massive fleet of 2,000 tractors and other farming implements, yet they have still not reached the farmers who desperately need them. This significant delay is causing outrage among farmers’ groups, who fear that this year’s critical wet season is slipping away.
This concern is shared by governors in the North-East, who recently called for urgent subsidies on farm inputs to prevent a widespread food crisis. In a joint statement released after their 12th meeting in Jalingo, the North-East Governors’ Forum (NEGF) noted that the region is still grappling with severe humanitarian and infrastructure challenges. They also expressed deep concern over the rising costs of agricultural inputs, which are putting a heavy burden on local farmers. To head off a food crisis, the governors urged for more support and better preparation for dry season farming.
The Promised Tractors
Back in 2024, the Tinubu administration made headlines by ordering 2,000 tractors and other equipment. This initiative, part of the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” was touted as a major step toward reducing food inflation, boosting local production, and cutting down on foreign currency spending. President Tinubu had previously declared a state of emergency on food security, identifying agricultural mechanization as a crucial way to improve food production nationwide.
During the launch event on June 24, 2025, the President promised the equipment would be distributed through a service-provider model. The goal was to give small-holder farmers access to modern machinery, reduce manual labor, and increase crop yields. The equipment, a result of a collaboration with AfTrade DMCC and the Republic of Belarus, included 2,000 tractors, 10 combine harvesters, 12 mobile workshops, 9,000 implements, and 9,000 spare parts kits.
This program was one of four key initiatives under the Tinubu administration’s mechanization policy. The government projected that the Belarus tractor program would help cultivate over 550,000 hectares of farmland, produce more than two million metric tons of staple food, create over 16,000 jobs, and directly benefit more than 550,000 farming households. Other features of the deal included mandatory operator training, GPS tracking for accountability, a structured repayment plan, and free equipment for research and training institutions. The government also promised the initiative would create new job opportunities for young Nigerians in equipment maintenance, logistics, and agri-tech innovation.
Where Are They Now?
Despite all the grand promises, a recent investigation by Zoyols Blog found that the tractors have not yet been delivered to the farmers. A correspondent visited the National Agriculture Seed Council at Sheda, Kwali Area Council in Abuja, where the tractors were commissioned, and discovered they are still sitting there in storage.
While farmers are pleading for the immediate release of the equipment, some government officials, speaking off the record, admitted that there has been no directive from the Presidency to begin the distribution.
