In Maiduguri on Sunday, June 8, 2025, Vice President Kashim Shettima officially launched the National Asset Restoration Programme, spearheaded by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), at the Borno State Agricultural Mechanisation (BOSAMAN) Farm Centre. The ceremony marks the commencement of the agency’s ambitious initiative to revive tens of thousands of abandoned public assets across Nigeria, particularly to rejuvenate the industrial and agricultural sectors under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda .
The first phase, known as the Tractor Recovery Project, is designed to breathe new life into Nigeria’s idle farming machinery. According to NASENI’s Director of Information, Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, the country currently has around 55,000 non-functional tractors, with only 7,000 to 10,000 units still operational . Through comprehensive rehabilitation, covering mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and structural systems, NASENI, in partnership with Machine and Equipment Corporation Africa Limited (MECA), will restore hundreds of these tractors for immediate deployment in Borno and neighbouring states .
Vice President Shettima, described by NASENI as the “Eminent Guest of Honour,” was joined by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, among other dignitaries. In his address, Shettima emphasised that the initiative is more than equipment repair, it is a strategic intervention to “rebuild livelihoods, strengthen food systems, and revitalise rural economies through home‑grown engineering solutions” .
By revitalising broken-down tractors, the Federal Government is taking tangible steps to enhance mechanised agriculture, boost industrial productivity, and safeguard food security across the nation. The launch in Maiduguri signifies hope for agricultural communities in the North‑East and beyond, setting the tone for a nationwide campaign to restore public assets and drive economic revival under President Tinubu’s administration.
