Farmers across Nigeria are calling on the federal government to expedite the long-awaited delivery of tractors promised under a nationwide mechanisation programme aimed at boosting food productivity and strengthening economic resilience.
National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kabir Ibrahim, confirmed over the weekend that the association has not yet received the tractors, which are critical for meeting food security targets. "No, we haven't received the tractors. But it is a work in progress," Ibrahim stated.
He clarified that AFAN is not involved in the importation process and lacks detailed information on the shipment timeline. "We are not the ones importing. We don't know the time when they are going to get to us. We don't know whether they are coming in bits or in whole. We are just beneficiaries," he said, adding that the association expects the tractors to be made available on a subsidised basis.
In January, the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) was tasked with implementing a presidential directive to deploy 10,000 John Deere tractors across Nigeria, with an initial rollout of 2,000 units planned for the first half of 2025.
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The Executive Secretary and CEO of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, announced the signing of an agreement with AGCOMS International Trading Limited—the authorised dealer of John Deere tractors—during a formal ceremony in Abuja. He noted that the deal followed extensive consultations and stakeholder engagement, and was approved by the Federal Executive Council in October 2024.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, who attended the January event, described the project as one of the Tinubu administration's four flagship mechanisation initiatives. He highlighted the initiative's potential to increase crop yields and attract more youth and women to the agricultural sector through modern farming methods.
Despite the fanfare, the tractors are yet to reach farmers' fields—a delay that has raised concerns as the planting season progresses.
Farmers and agricultural stakeholders are now urging authorities to prioritise the swift delivery and equitable distribution of the equipment to ensure the mechanisation policy delivers its intended impact.
