An American company, John Deere, has announced its plans to establish a tractor assembly plant in Nigeria. This significant investment in Nigeria’s agricultural sector comes as a result of Vice President Kashim Shettima’s visit to the United States, where fruitful discussions were held with top officials from John Deere, including its Vice President on Production Systems, Mr. Jason Brantley.
The meeting, facilitated by the Chairman of Flour Mills of Nigeria, Mr. John Coumantaros, was attended by esteemed individuals such as the Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari; the Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Ambassador Lot Egopija, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness and Productivity, Dr. Kingsley Uzoma.
Vice President Shettima emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to revolutionizing agriculture as a means of addressing security challenges and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. He highlighted the pivotal role of mechanization in achieving true self-sufficiency in food production. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed a strong dedication to revitalizing Nigeria’s agricultural sector, recognizing the indispensable need for certified seeds, mechanization, provision of fertilizer, and agricultural extension services.
The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) project, as explained by the Vice President, aims to provide the necessary infrastructure, platform, and framework to enable the private sector to add value to Nigeria’s agricultural produce, both for the domestic and global markets.
In demonstrating Nigeria’s openness to partnerships, Vice President Shettima assured the investors that the government is eager to fast-track the process. He emphasized the urgency of the food security emergency declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in August, highlighting Nigeria’s vulnerability to external volatilities and the need to address challenges in the agricultural sector comprehensively.
Speaking about the proposed investment, Mr. Brantley affirmed that John Deere’s project will unlock Nigeria’s agricultural potential by providing an organized approach to tractor-clearing services for smallholder farmers across the country. The establishment of the tractor assembly plant is expected to require no government investment, although credit guarantees will be necessary to facilitate accessible credit at affordable rates for interested individuals or groups. The company is prepared to engage relevant authorities in Nigeria promptly to realize this objective.
With John Deere’s commitment to establishing a tractor assembly plant in Nigeria, the country’s agricultural sector is poised for significant growth and development. This venture holds great promise for increasing productivity, enhancing food security, and improving the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers. It also reflects the growing interest of foreign investors in Nigeria’s agricultural potential, further solidifying the nation’s position as a key player in the global agricultural landscape.
