News
N141bn Agreements: Reps to Probe Non-Delivery of Tractors, Harvesters
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has resolved to probe the failure to deliver 2,000 tractors and 100 combined harvesters under the Presidential Food Security Initiative and Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Drive, despite a signed N3bn agreement.
The House also resolved to investigate a separate N138.61 billion agreement between the Federal Government and AFTRADE DMCC for establishing a tractor assembly plant in Nigeria.
This resolution was sequel to a motion by Rep. Saba Adam, lawmaker representing Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency of Kwara State, on Tuesday at plenary.
Naijablitznews.com recalled that President Bola Tinubu had earlier declared a state of emergency on food security shortly after assuming office, emphasising agricultural mechanization as essential for boosting food production and addressing rising hunger caused by food inflation.
Debating the motion, Rep. Adam explained that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security entered into an agreement with John Deere Tractors to supply 2,000 tractors with implements and 100 combined harvesters annually, aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda for increased food security.
“The contract for the tractor assembly plant in Nigeria was valued at $70.042m (N3bn), covering equipment costs, sales, after-sales services, spare parts, and training for mechanized service providers,” Adam noted.
He further highlighted that the Ministry also signed a five-year agreement with AFTRADE DMCC for a tractor assembly plant expected to produce 2,000 Belarus tractors and 9,022 agricultural implements annually, costing Nigeria $684.19m (N138.61bn) for equipment, delivery, and assembly.
The lawmaker argued that these agreements promised significant benefits, including increased agricultural production, technology transfer, and reduced foreign exchange spending on imported equipment due to local production.
He however, expressed concerns that no tractors or implements had been delivered, despite the agreements being signed over a year ago.
“The absence of these tractors and implements undermines the Renewed Hope Agenda for agricultural mechanization and delays Nigeria’s food sufficiency goals, with two farming seasons already lost,” he stated.
The House unanimously adopted the motion, and mandated its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services to investigate the non-delivery of the tractors and harvesters, as well as the status of the proposed assembly plants; and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force has directed his men to resume the issuance of tinted glass permits across the country.
This development was announced in a statement released on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
According to the Force spokesperson, the move comes in response to rising concerns and complaints from the public over the harassment of vehicle owners by law enforcement agents for using factory-fitted tinted windows.
“The Nigeria Police Force, under the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has reactivated the issuance of Tinted Glass Permits (TGP) nationwide through a secure and user-friendly digital platform.
“This initiative comes in response to widespread public complaints about the harassment of motorists over the use of tinted windows and reflects the need for a clear, transparent, and accountable process for regularising factory-fitted tinted glass on vehicles”, the statement partly read.
Highlighting the prevalence of modern vehicles designed with tinted windows for comfort and aesthetics, the police emphasised the importance of having a formal system to regulate usage.
“With modern automobiles increasingly manufactured with tinted windows, it has become essential to provide a standardised system that accommodates legitimate use while ensuring public safety.
“Tinted vehicles have often been exploited for criminal purposes, including kidnapping, armed robbery, ‘one-chance’ scams, and other forms of banditry”, Adejobi explained.
According to the statement, the abuse of tinted windows by criminals creates operational challenges for law enforcement and compromises national security.
In addition, he explained that law enforcement will begin active implementation after the grace period, and the police warn that officers who misuse the enforcement process will be sanctioned.
“Enforcement will commence at the end of this period. Officers found engaging in unprofessional conduct, such as extortion or harassment, in the course of enforcement will be decisively dealt with in accordance with extant disciplinary procedures”, he said.
By Gloria Ikibah
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a revised documentation requirement for transactions conducted through the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) in Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the apex bank’s acting Director, Corporate Communications, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali
The CBN said the new initiative is part of its ongoing commitment to foster seamless intra-African trade, financial inclusion, and operational efficiency for Nigerians engaging in cross-border payments within Africa.
Launched by Afreximbank in partnership with the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat in January 2022, PAPSS serves as a centralized payment and settlement platform that enables instant, secure, and efficient cross-border transactions throughout Africa.
By facilitating payments in local currencies, PAPSS minimizes reliance on third-party currencies, reduces transaction costs, and supports the rapid expansion of trade under the AfCFTA.
In a recent circular referenced TED/FEM/PUB/FPC/001/006 issued on April 28, 2025, CBN outlined the key changes to the documentation requirements associated with PAPSS transactions.
The key changes it added take effect immediately and include simplified documentation for low-value transactions, which allows customers to now use basic KYC and AML documents provided to their authorized dealer banks for low-value transactions of up to $2,000 and $5,000 equivalent in naira for individuals and corporate bodies, respectively.
“For transactions above the thresholds, all documentation as stipulated in the CBN foreign exchange manual and related circulars remains mandatory,” the bank said.
Also, the CBN added that applicants are responsible for ensuring all regulatory documents are available to facilitate the clearance of goods, as required by relevant government agencies.
“Authorized dealer banks may now source foreign exchange for PAPSS settlements through the Nigerian foreign exchange market, without recourse to the CBN.
“All export proceeds repatriated via PAPSS shall be certified by the relevant processing banks.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria urges all banks to adopt PAPSS and commence originating transactions in line with this new policy.
“In addition, CBN encourages exporters, importers, and individuals to familiarize themselves with the new requirements and leverage PAPSS for cross-border transactions within Africa,” the statement said.
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