Stephen Olufemi Oni 
The Federal Government has announced plans to establish an Agriculture Mechanization Service Centre in each of the country’s geopolitical zones to provide training, equipment repair, and coordination of agricultural technologies.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, at the 25th International Conference and 45th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE) in Ilorin, Kwara State. The event was themed: “Standardization and Promotion of Proven Technologies for Agricultural Production and Value Addition in Nigeria.”
Senator Kyari emphasized that the government would set benchmarks to govern the production and use of agricultural machinery in Nigeria for decades to come.
He said: “Beyond acquisition, our focus remains on standardization, local assembly, and maintenance systems, ensuring that every machine deployed is fit for purpose and supported by skilled technicians.”
The Minister added that Nigerian farmers deserve home-grown technologies “developed with deep understanding of our soils, our crops, our scale of farming, and the labour dynamics of our rural communities.”
He also encouraged collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, representing the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), and Tanta Motors of Egypt.
He highlighted the success of the young mould-making machine developed by NCAM as an example of what collaboration can achieve: “The essence of NCAM-Tanta Motors collaboration is to facilitate mass production and commercialization of proven home-grown technologies. The improved young mould-making machine has been redesigned to function both as a mould maker and a ridge maker, giving farmers the freedom to choose the environment geometry most suitable for their region and cultivation practices. This collaboration will eventually lead to local manufacturing and assembly in Nigeria.”
The Minister said the partnership will also extend to other NCAM-developed technologies, including the mechanical weeder, cassava stem planter, grain and seed planter, and multi-crop treater, all of which are being prepared for standardization and commercialization under a joint NCAM/Tanta Motors branding arrangement.
Speaking at the event, NIAE National Chairman, Engineer Professor Joshua Olaoye, called on Nigerian engineers, innovators, and policy influencers to channel their expertise toward designing and deploying affordable, adaptable, and locally manufactured machinery that meets the needs of smallholder farmers — the majority of Nigeria’s farming population.
He said: “As we celebrate 50 years of dedicated service to the agricultural sector, let this gathering mark the dawn of a new era of purposeful engineering — one that translates ideas into implements, research into results, and technology into transformation. Together, we shall drive the mechanization revolution that Nigeria needs for food security, job creation, and national prosperity.”
Professor Olaoye also highlighted the maiden National Agricultural Machinery Exhibition, organized in collaboration with NCAM, as a platform to bridge the gap between innovation and adoption.
“Through this platform, we are showcasing home-grown and field-tested technologies, tractors, planters, threshers, harvesters, dryers, and processing machines developed by Nigerian engineers and fabricators to enhance productivity, reduce drudgery, and boost food security.
This exhibition demonstrates our readiness to transition from theoretical research to tangible engineering solutions that empower farmers and agripreneurs across the country,” he stated.
