The tractors were purchased under the state government’s agricultural programme designed to drive increased food production across Niger State.
The administration of Governor Umar Bago of Niger State has commenced the sale of farming tractors acquired to boost food production, as part of efforts to service debts and settle outstanding part-payments for the equipment.
The tractors were purchased under the state government’s agricultural programme designed to drive increased food production across Niger State.
However, sources told SaharaReporters that the decision to dispose of the equipment comes amid financial pressures facing the state’s agriculture-related initiatives.
The development also coincides with reports of staff layoffs at Niger Foods, a security and logistics company allegedly owned by the Niger State government.
According to sources, the company has begun laying off workers because it can no longer sustain salary payments.
A source said no major farming activities had taken place since last year’s rainy season, while workers are reportedly owed several months’ salaries, prompting management to resort to staff retrenchment.
Niger Food Security and Logistics Limited states that its mission is to establish “an efficient and profitable agriculture business, that takes a central position in the Niger State agricultural value chain, and forms the basis for future expansion in turnover into other regions, and become a trendsetter and major player in this sector in Nigeria for the local market as well as for the export markets."
The mission also includes increasing yields and quality of vegetables, fruits, root crops, grains, pasture, animal feed and livestock in Nigeria, as well as reducing losses through infrastructural and institutional development in food handling for export and local consumption, and the establishment of lawful food systems.
Its strategy further includes the establishment of modern collection, storage and packing centres, known as Food Parks, alongside plans to develop between 250,000 and 5,000,000 hectares of farm estates across 25 local government areas for production, processing, storage and warehousing.
Budget documents show that the state's Ministry of Agriculture was allocated N449billion in 2025, with a capital expenditure budget of N447billion.
However, actual expenditure between January and September 2025 stood at N17.1billion while capital expenditure during the same period amounted to N15.3billion.