By Felix Khanoba
The Equipment Leasing Registration Authority (ELRA) and Heifer Nigeria Ltd/GTE have entered into a two-year partnership aimed at improving access to agricultural equipment for smallholder farmers through innovative leasing arrangements designed to enhance food security, increase rural incomes and strengthen agricultural value chains.
The collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), will run from August 15, 2026, to August 14, 2028, is expected to provide affordable mechanisation services to farmers in Benue, Nasarawa, Ogun and Edo states under Heifer Nigeria’s flagship Naija Unlock Programme.
A statement issued by ELRA’s Head of Media and Corporate Communication, Adebola Brookslyn Sunday, said the initiative aligns the authority’s regulatory responsibility of promoting equipment leasing with Heifer Nigeria’s objective of tackling hunger and poverty through sustainable agricultural development.
According to the statement, the partnership seeks to improve access to productive assets, stimulate agricultural output, strengthen rural businesses and drive inclusive economic growth by making modern farming equipment available through flexible leasing and lease-to-own arrangements.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of ELRA, Mr. Donald Wokoma, described the agreement as a major step towards deepening agricultural financing and positioning equipment leasing as a practical response to Nigeria’s food security concerns.
He explained that equipment leasing remains one of the most effective financing options for farmers and agribusinesses because it eliminates the challenge of large upfront capital investment while giving users access to modern equipment that enhances productivity and operational efficiency.
“This partnership demonstrates how equipment leasing can unlock opportunities for farmers, cooperatives, women and young agripreneurs by providing affordable access to tractors, irrigation systems, processing equipment and other productive assets required to drive agricultural transformation.
“It also reinforces ELRA’s commitment to making leasing a catalyst for national development by connecting more Nigerians with the productive assets they need to succeed. We are confident that this collaboration will redefine how farmers and rural enterprises access equipment, ultimately driving productivity, job creation and economic prosperity,” Wokoma said.
Also speaking, the Country Director of Heifer Nigeria, Mr. Lekan Tobe, said the partnership reflects the organisation’s determination to empower smallholder farmers through practical, market-oriented solutions that improve livelihoods and strengthen Nigeria’s food production systems.
“At Heifer Nigeria, we believe that access to productive assets is fundamental to transforming agriculture and lifting farming families out of poverty. Through this partnership with ELRA, we are introducing innovative leasing models that will enable farmers, cooperatives, women and youth to acquire the equipment they need to increase productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and build resilient agribusinesses.
“Together, we are creating pathways for smallholder farmers to move from subsistence to sustainable prosperity while contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s food security objectives,” he said.
Tobe added that the Naija Unlock Programme would promote agricultural value chains through greater mechanisation, climate-smart technologies, enterprise development, financial inclusion and expanded economic opportunities for rural communities.
Under the agreement, both organisations will jointly design affordable leasing and lease-to-own models covering tractors, power tillers, planters, weeders, threshers, solar-powered irrigation systems, renewable energy-powered agricultural equipment, processing machines, storage facilities and cold-chain infrastructure.
The initiative is expected to lower production costs, reduce the physical burden of farming, improve operational efficiency and enable smallholder farmers to access modern equipment without having to purchase them outright.
In addition to equipment financing, ELRA and Heifer Nigeria will roll out capacity-building programmes focusing on agribusiness management, financial literacy, equipment operation and maintenance, enterprise development and asset management. The training will benefit farmers, cooperatives, leasing companies, rural enterprises, equipment operators, women and young agripreneurs to ensure the effective and sustainable use of leased assets.
The partnership will also encourage climate-smart agriculture through the adoption of renewable energy-powered equipment and sustainable farming technologies capable of supporting year-round production and improving resilience to climate change.
Other areas of collaboration include reducing post-harvest losses through improved processing and storage infrastructure, promoting value addition, expanding access to productive assets for cooperatives and rural enterprises, encouraging greater participation of women and youths in agriculture, strengthening agricultural value chains, supporting policy advocacy and research, and advancing the growth of Nigeria’s equipment leasing industry.
The partners expressed optimism that the initiative would make a significant contribution to Nigeria’s food security by boosting agricultural productivity, improving farmers’ earnings, reducing post-harvest losses and creating sustainable livelihoods in participating states.
They also noted that beyond the initial project locations, the initiative is expected to serve as a national model for bridging the financing gap that has continued to limit access to modern agricultural machinery. By combining ELRA’s regulatory expertise with Heifer Nigeria’s development experience, the partnership is expected to attract increased private sector investment in agricultural equipment financing while expanding affordable leasing opportunities for farmers.
Both organisations expressed confidence that the collaboration would accelerate agricultural mechanisation, strengthen rural enterprises, empower women and young people, build resilient farming communities and support the Federal Government’s food security and economic development agenda.
