By Emma Akpabio
The relatively quiet community of Ekpri Nsukara on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, came alive as the Ibom Agricultural Equipment Leasing facility was officially commissioned, marking a significant milestone in Governor Umo Eno’s drive to transition farmers from labour-intensive practices to modern, mechanized agriculture.
The facility features tractor sheds for equipment storage and deployment, administrative buildings for operations, a fully equipped maintenance workshop, a fleet of 25 tractors with attachable implements, two low-bed trailers for transportation, a fuel dump, access roads, and storage facilities.
For many farmers in Akwa Ibom, the event represented more than the unveiling of a government project. It signaled a long-awaited shift from the limitations of manual farming to a future defined by efficiency, scale, and improved productivity.
Speaking at the commissioning, Governor Eno described the facility as a critical component of his administration’s ARISE Agenda, an agricultural revolution designed to boost food security, expand production, and ultimately crash food prices across the state.
“This facility is primed to help our farmers move from peasant farming to commercial-scale production. Agriculture must no longer be seen as a subsistence venture, but as a business with strong economic returns,” the Governor stated.
Beyond providing access, the state government has made mechanization more affordable by subsidizing the leasing cost by 50 percent to encourage widespread adoption. While farmers are responsible for fueling the equipment, the Governor explained that the on-site fuel dump is intended to ensure quality control and prevent the use of adulterated fuel that could damage machinery.
For decades, smallholder farmers across the state have relied on rudimentary tools, limiting their yields and keeping them at subsistence level. The introduction of the leasing facility is a deliberate effort to break that cycle by replacing “hoes” with “horsepower.”
Developed under the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Agribusiness Unit of the Governor’s Office, the facility is designed to bridge the mechanization gap by giving farmers, cooperatives, and agribusinesses access to tractors, implements, and technical support without the burden of ownership.
Governor Eno also emphasized the importance of youth participation, describing the initiative as the first phase of broader interventions aimed at making agriculture more attractive, profitable, and sustainable for young people. He urged stakeholders to take full advantage of the facility to scale up production.
Complementing this effort, the Governor disclosed that the state government has engaged Akwa Ibom State University to manage the Ibom Model Farms and greenhouses along Airport Road, strengthening research, capacity development, and productivity within the sector.
Agriculture remains a major source of livelihood in Akwa Ibom, and increased productivity is expected to have wide-reaching economic benefits; from higher farmer incomes to improved food availability and job creation across the value chain.
The commissioning of equipment leasing facility, therefore underscores a shift toward practical, results-driven interventions, with deliberate efforts to lower barriers to mechanization through subsidies and targeted support. By positioning agriculture as a viable engine of economic resilience, the Governor is laying the groundwork for sustained growth across the sector.
For farmers, the impact is immediate and tangible, the ability to cultivate more land, boost output, and improve earnings. In that sense, the facility represents more than a policy milestone; it signals the beginning of a new chapter in the state’s agricultural revolution.
