ABUJA (PRECISE POST) — President Bola Tinubu on Monday declared the start of Nigeria’s agricultural renaissance as he formally launched the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, commissioning 2,000 tractors for deployment across the country to boost food production and support smallholder farmers.
Speaking at the flag-off event held at the National Agricultural Seeds Council, Sheda, along the Abuja–Lokoja Expressway, President Tinubu described the initiative as a bold and historic step toward modernising Nigeria’s farming sector and achieving food sovereignty, the statement released on the X account the Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga saod.
“We are fulfilling our promise. Two years ago, I warned of a looming food security crisis. Today, we begin a new chapter with solutions,” Tinubu declared.
“Let history recall this day as the beginning of Nigeria’s agricultural renaissance.”
The 2,000 tractors—acquired in partnership with the Republic of Belarus and AfTrade DMCC—are part of a service-provider model designed to ensure widespread access to mechanised tools, reduce manual labour, and increase crop yields. The programme will also distribute 10 combine harvesters, 12 mobile workshops, 9,000 implements, and 9,000 spare part kits nationwide.
The initiative, Tinubu said, is the cornerstone of his administration’s food security agenda and a catalyst for rural development, job creation, and economic growth.
“Agricultural productivity is synonymous with national stability,” Tinubu said.
“We envision Nigeria not just as food self-sufficient, but as a global agricultural powerhouse.”
President Tinubu acknowledged Belarus’ critical role in delivering the equipment and technical expertise, praising the long-standing relationship between the two countries.
He gave special recognition to Alex Sigman, a Belarusian businessman and his former University of Chicago classmate, for facilitating the deal, noting their shared vision for transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
“We never imagined that one day, we would be working together to empower our nations,” Tinubu reflected.
In a goodwill message, Viktor Karenkevich, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, lauded the collaboration and expressed Belarus’ commitment to the second and third phases of the programme. These will include local assembly plants, grain storage complexes, and the establishment of training centres and maintenance hubs in Nigeria.
He delivered a personal invitation from President Alexander Lukashenko for President Tinubu to visit Belarus, and reaffirmed Belarus’ strategic interest in Africa, saying:
“We come to Africa as friends—ready to help you become masters of your land.”
Mechanisation Drive to Impact Over Half a Million Farmers
Speaking earlier, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari called the programme the largest agricultural mechanisation initiative in Nigeria’s history.
He revealed the project will:
Cultivate over 550,000 hectares of farmland
Produce more than 2 million metric tons of staple foods
Create over 16,000 jobs
Directly benefit over 550,000 farming households
The programme also includes operator training, GPS tracking for accountability, structured repayment models, and free allocations of machinery to research institutions.
Kyari outlined other major mechanisation efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including the John Deere Tractorisation Programme, Greener Hope Project, and Green Imperative Programme.
President Tinubu urged all stakeholders to take full ownership of the transformation agenda and promised strict oversight:
“Deploy this equipment with maximum efficiency. We will supervise you and hold you accountable,” he warned.
Dignitaries at the launch included APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, members of the National Assembly, and representatives of farmers’ cooperatives, development partners, and the Senate and House Committees on Agriculture.
As the first phase rolls out, President Tinubu’s message was clear: Nigeria’s path to food security and economic prosperity lies in technology, partnership, and the resilience of its farmers.
