The Federal Government has announced that it will establish one mechanisation service centre in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as part of a renewed push to strengthen food security and improve agricultural productivity nationwide.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this on Tuesday during the 25th International Conference and 45th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE), held at the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), Idofian, Kwara State.
Kyari explained that the proposed centres would serve as regional hubs for machinery training, repairs, and coordination, ensuring that modern farm equipment remains accessible, functional, and well-maintained across the country.
He noted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises the modernisation of agriculture and the empowerment of farmers, particularly youth and women, through access to technology-driven tools.
“To ensure regional balance and operational efficiency, one mechanisation service centre will be established in the first instance in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones,” Kyari said.
“These hubs will provide training, maintenance, and coordination services to guarantee effective use of agricultural machinery across the country.”
The Minister further revealed that the government has procured 2,000 tractors and over 9,000 complementary farm implements and spare parts to expand access to mechanised farming equipment in rural communities.
Under the Renewed Mechanisation Programme, embedded within the Agricultural Transformation and Innovation Plan, the Federal Government aims to develop a nationwide mechanisation ecosystem that integrates tractors, planters, harvesters, and threshers into a single, accessible platform for farmers.
Kyari emphasised that beyond procurement, the focus is on standardisation, local assembly, and quality assurance, with NCAM serving as the central agency for certification and technical validation of agricultural machinery used nationwide.
“Our farmers deserve home-grown technologies developed with a deep understanding of our soils, crops, and the realities of smallholder farming,” he added.
Highlighting the importance of partnerships, the minister commended NCAM’s ongoing collaboration with Tanta Motors of Egypt, which led to the improved design of the yam mound-making machine, now upgraded to serve dual functions as both a mound and ridge maker.
He noted that this partnership will extend to other locally developed machines such as cassava planters, mechanical weeders, and multi-crop threshers, promoting standardisation and commercialisation under a joint NCAM branding initiative.
In his keynote address, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State described agricultural mechanisation as the “bedrock of food security and sustainable national development,” urging federal and state governments to ensure smallholder farmers have access to modern tools.
Earlier, NIAE National Chairman, Engr. Prof. Joshua Olaoye said the conference marks a moment of reflection, innovation, and renewed commitment to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural landscape through home-grown engineering solutions.
He explained that as NIAE marks its 50th anniversary, the Institution is shifting its focus from theoretical research to practical innovations addressing Nigeria’s low mechanisation index.
“We are showcasing locally developed technologies, tractors, planters, harvesters, and dryers, to demonstrate our readiness to move from paper to practical innovations that empower farmers and boost productivity,” Olaoye said.
Source: Punch
