The Federal Government of Nigeria has received the first batch of tractors and other farming equipment from Belarus as part of its plans to increase food production across the country.
The Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, shared this update in a video posted on X.com on Tuesday. He noted that Nigeria has now taken delivery of the first set of the 2,000 tractors and 9,027 other pieces of farming equipment scheduled for procurement in 2025 under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Olusegun explained that the tractors will be distributed through three different schemes aimed at making mechanized farming more accessible to Nigerian farmers. These schemes include direct purchase, a leasing program, and a service provider model.
He stated, “The tractors will be distributed under three key schemes: Direct purchase for individuals and organisations seeking to acquire them outright, leasing scheme that provides affordable access to mechanization without full ownership costs, and a service provider model that establishes tractor service centers in farming communities across the country, allowing smallholder farmers to lease tractors as needed.”
To ensure that the equipment remains in good condition, Olusegun further noted that spare parts have also been procured. These parts are expected to last for at least four years, reducing concerns about maintenance and repairs.
The delivery of these tractors is part of a larger plan by the Federal Government to modernize agriculture and make food production more efficient. In August 2024, President Tinubu announced that Nigeria had placed orders for mechanized farm tools from the United States, Belarus, and Brazil. This move is intended to address food shortages and bring down the rising prices of food commodities in the country.
Earlier in January, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, confirmed that the government had begun receiving the 2,000 tractors ordered from Belarus. He noted that the initiative is part of broader efforts to make farming more productive and accessible to farmers, ultimately leading to lower food prices for Nigerians.
