Nigeria’s agricultural sector may be on the brink of a major transformation as the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) has unveiled an ambitious plan to mechanise 1.2 million hectares of farmland across the country through a strategic partnership with lawmakers.
The proposal, presented at the House of Representatives plenary in Abuja, aims to shift Nigeria’s farming system from largely manual, subsistence practices to modern, large-scale commercial agriculture.
According to the Managing Director of the BoA, Ayo Sotinriade, the initiative is designed to boost food production, create jobs, and address key drivers of rural poverty and insecurity.
At the heart of the plan is the deployment of approximately 2,000 tractors nationwide, each capable of cultivating up to 600 hectares annually.
With this scale of deployment, the programme is projected to cover as much as 1.2 million hectares of farmland every year, significantly increasing agricultural productivity.
The model introduces a cost-sharing arrangement involving members of the House of Representatives, who are expected to contribute 60 percent of the cost of acquiring tractors for their constituencies.
Each tractor will be stationed within a federal constituency and made accessible to local farmers through a structured booking system to ensure efficient utilisation.
Beyond tractor deployment, the initiative includes the creation of integrated farming hubs in participating communities.
These hubs are expected to provide farmers with access to critical services such as agricultural inputs, irrigation systems, produce aggregation, financing, and extension support.
Sotinriade explained that the irrigation component will enable year-round farming, allowing farmers to achieve up to three production cycles annually.
The programme is also expected to improve yields significantly, with targets set at more than two tonnes per hectare for participating farms.
Experts say the initiative could mark a turning point for Nigeria’s agricultural sector, which has long struggled with low productivity due to limited access to mechanisation.
Despite having over 30 million hectares of arable land, Nigeria still relies heavily on smallholder farmers using traditional tools, resulting in low output and inefficiencies.
The country’s tractor density remains among the lowest globally, with fewer than one tractor per 1,000 hectares — a gap that continues to limit agricultural expansion and competitiveness.
By addressing this gap, the BoA initiative seeks to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s agricultural resources while reducing dependence on food imports.
The programme is also expected to generate employment opportunities across rural communities, particularly for young people, by creating new roles in farming, logistics, and agro-processing.
In addition, the initiative could play a role in tackling insecurity, as improved livelihoods and economic opportunities may reduce the drivers of rural unrest.
The BoA boss also noted that internally displaced persons (IDPs), especially in conflict-affected states such as Borno and Benue, stand to benefit from the programme through structured access to farming opportunities and income generation.
Analysts say the success of the initiative will depend largely on effective implementation, coordination between stakeholders, and sustained funding.
Previous agricultural mechanisation programmes in Nigeria have faced challenges, including maintenance issues, limited accessibility, and poor monitoring systems.
However, the current model’s integration of lawmakers and grassroots deployment could improve accountability and reach.
The proposal also aligns with broader efforts by the Federal Government to diversify the economy away from oil and strengthen food security.
With rising food inflation and increasing pressure on the agricultural sector, large-scale mechanisation is seen as a critical step toward ensuring sustainable production.
If successfully implemented, the BoA plan could reposition Nigeria as a major agricultural producer and potentially a net exporter of food.
For millions of farmers across the country, the initiative offers the promise of improved productivity, higher incomes, and a transition from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.
Ultimately, the programme represents a bold attempt to modernise Nigeria’s agricultural system and address longstanding structural challenges within the sector.