By Abbas Nazil
The Federal Government has announced plans to establish agricultural mechanisation service centres across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria to enhance food security, improve productivity, and promote the adoption of modern farming technologies.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this in Ilorin, Kwara State, during the 25th International Conference and 45th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE).
Kyari explained that the initiative aims to facilitate training, equipment repairs, and the transfer of agricultural technologies among farmers.
He stated that these centres will play a vital role in ensuring sustainable food production and mechanised agriculture across Nigeria.
According to the minister, the Federal Government is determined to set benchmarks that will guide the production and use of agricultural machinery for decades to come.
He emphasized that beyond the acquisition of machinery, the focus will be on standardisation, local assembly, and effective maintenance systems, ensuring that every machine deployed is efficient, fit for purpose, and supported by trained technicians.
Kyari further stressed the need for technologies developed specifically for Nigerian farmers, noting that home-grown solutions should reflect the realities of the country’s soils, crops, scale of farming, and rural labour dynamics.
He revealed that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is collaborating with the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM) and Tanta Motors of Egypt to enhance agricultural mechanisation in Nigeria.
Citing an example, Kyari mentioned the “young mould-making machine” originally developed by NCAM, which has been improved through the NCAM-Tanta Motors partnership.
He explained that the upgraded version now functions as both a mould-maker and a ridge-maker, allowing farmers to adapt the machinery to suit different environmental and cultivation conditions.
The minister added that this collaboration would eventually lead to local manufacturing and assembly of agricultural machines in Nigeria, supporting job creation and industrial growth.
He also noted that the partnership will extend to other technologies developed by NCAM, such as the mechanical weeder, cassava stem planter, grain and seed planter, and multi-crop thresher, all of which will be standardised and commercialised under a joint NCAM/Tanta Motors branding.
In his remarks, NIAE National Chairman, Engr. Joshua Olaoye, urged Nigerian engineers, innovators, and policymakers to develop affordable and adaptable machinery that addresses the unique needs of smallholder farmers who form the majority of the nation’s agricultural workforce.
He said that as the NIAE celebrates 50 years of service to the agricultural sector, the focus must shift towards translating research into tangible innovations that will drive a mechanisation revolution for food security, employment, and national prosperity.
Olaoye also highlighted the significance of the maiden national agricultural machinery exhibition, organised with NCAM, to bridge the gap between innovation and practical adoption of new technologies.
Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, commended the initiative, stating that it comes at a time when the world is struggling to feed a growing population.
He observed that innovation and mechanisation are crucial to securing Nigeria’s agricultural future, especially amid global challenges such as climate change, debates around genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and land-use issues.
AbdulRazaq noted that Kwara State has already moved from subsistence to full mechanised agriculture, attributing this progress to the support and innovations driven by agricultural engineers and institutions like the NIAE.