Shettima to launch national asset restoration programme with tractor recovery project in Borno

Vice President Kashim Shettima will this Sunday, June 8, 2025, formally launch the National Asset Restoration Programme (NARP) in Maiduguri, with the inaugural phase focusing on reviving broken-down tractors under the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI)’s Tractor Recovery Project.

The launch event, set to take place at the Borno State Agricultural Mechanization (BOSAMAN) Farm Centre, marks a significant milestone in the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at accelerating food security and rural development through mechanized agriculture.

According to NASENI, the Tractor Recovery Project is fully funded, supervised, and implemented by the agency, with technical support from its partner, Machine and Equipment Corporation Africa Limited (MECA). The initiative seeks to restore thousands of non-functional tractors across the country, starting with Borno State, thereby strengthening farming operations and revitalizing rural livelihoods.

Currently, Nigeria is estimated to have over 55,000 broken-down tractors, with only 7,000 to 10,000 still in operation. The restoration project aims to significantly increase that number by overhauling idle equipment for immediate deployment.

Each restored tractor has undergone comprehensive mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and structural rehabilitation, ensuring optimal performance and long-term reliability in the field.

Vice President Shettima, who will serve as the Special Guest of Honour at the launch, will be joined by Borno State Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, NASENI Executive Vice Chairman/CEO Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, and other dignitaries.

The project, according to officials, is more than a symbolic gesture. It represents a bold effort to rebuild Nigeria’s productive capacity using home-grown engineering solutions and contribute meaningfully to the federal government’s broader recovery and development agenda.

In a statement signed by NASENI’s Director of Information, Mr. Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, the agency said the intervention was designed to “boost mechanized agriculture, enhance food security, and revitalize rural economies.”

The National Asset Restoration Programme is expected to expand nationwide in the coming months, targeting other critical infrastructure and machinery to support economic growth and national resilience.