Nigeria's Agricultural Future Hangs in the Balance as President Bola Tinubu Unveils $2.5 Billion Mechanisation Programme

Strategic Insights -

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has taken a bold step towards reshaping the country's agricultural future by commissioning 2,000 tractors as part of the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme. The programme aims to bridge the mechanisation gap, enhance food production, and reduce post-harvest losses while promoting youth employment through the agribusiness value chain. With a staggering 70.8 million hectares of arable land, Nigeria's agricultural sector employs over 70 percent of the population and contributes less than 26 percent to GDP. However, the sector suffers from one of the lowest mechanisation rates in sub-Saharan Africa, with less than 0.3 horsepower (hp) per hectare, far below the Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) recommendation of 1.5 hp/hectare for sustainable agricultural productivity.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme aims to bridge the mechanisation gap and promote youth employment through the agribusiness value chain.
  • Nigeria's agricultural sector employs over 70 percent of the population and contributes less than 26 percent to GDP.
  • The programme targets cultivating over 550,000 hectares of farmland, producing more than 2 million metric tonnes of staple food, and creating over 16,000 jobs.
  • The initiative includes mandatory operator training, GPS-enabled tracking for accountability, a structured repayment model, and pro bono equipment allocations to research and training institutions.
  • Nigeria has a tractor shortage, with only 7,000 to 12,000 functional tractors serving over 70.8 million hectares of arable land.
  • The country's tractor density stands at less than 0.3 hp/hectare, far below the global benchmark.
  • Previous mechanisation initiatives have failed due to poor maintenance culture, lack of skilled operators, and limited access to affordable finance for smallholder farmers.
  • The programme is expected to reduce the country's growing food import bill, currently estimated at over $2.5 billion annually.

Statistics:

  • 2,000 tractors commissioned as part of the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme.
  • The programme aims to cultivate over 550,000 hectares of farmland.
  • Expected production of more than 2 million metric tonnes of staple food.
  • Job creation of over 16,000 through the programme.
  • Over 100 million Nigerians face food insecurity, with 18.6 million people enduring acute hunger and 43.7 million more resorting to desperate measures just to secure a meal.
  • Food inflation in Nigeria stands at 29.43 percent in the North Central region and 29.72 percent in the Northeast.
  • The country has a tractor shortage, with only 7,000 to 12,000 functional tractors serving over 70.8 million hectares of arable land.

Sources:

  • State House, June 23, 2025
  • Nigeria's Vice President
  • Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
  • President Bola Tinubu's declaration of a state of emergency on food security, July 2023
  • John Deere Tractorisation Programme
  • Greener Hope Project
  • Green Imperative Programme
  • Belarus Tractor Scheme