…Says $70m foreign tractor deal is a waste
The federal government which recently sealed a deal to import 2000 tractors in a $70m deal has been challenged to a test of foreign and locally manufactured tractors.
The challenge came from Ibifiri Bobmanuel, CEO of Bobtract Tractor Limited, a Port Harcourt-based tractor manufacturer. Bobmanuel is an investor and president of the Rivers Entrepreneurs and Investors Forum (REIF).
Bobmanuel, who insisted that the solution Nigeria seeks in agric sector can only be found at home challenged the FG to bring their foreign tractors for a test in Nigerian farms, soils, weather, and maintenance challenge.
Speaking exclusively to BusinessDay on the sideline of 2025 international polo tournament in Port Harcourt, the Bobtrack CEO said: “If the FG wants us to do a test or a demonstration or what is called “SWOP” analysis, we can tell them to bring any of those tractors that they want to buy, and we will bring our tractors; let’s do open test and see which is better. It’s that very simple.”
He went on: “You see our tractors here. If you also go to Lagos, to the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA2), our tractors are there. Go and see what they are calling tractors, and what the FG intends to buy, then you take a decision yourself.”
Bobmanuel spoke in reaction to the recent deal signed by the Minister of Agricultute & Food Security and John Deere of the USA to supply and assemble 2000 tractors in Nigeria.
Read also: Local tractor manufacturers cry out, say FG seems to give with one hand, takes back with the other
Reacting, the CEO urged Nigerian leaders to learn to support home solutions to Nigeria’s problems. He warned that there is no quick-pick solution to Nigeria’s problems but gradual and steady actions. “The agro solution they have in America is never going to work in Nigeria because, the climate of Nigeria or Africa is entirely different from America’s. That is why we think the FG partnering with the local manufacturing outlets is the way to solving our problems because Bobtrack is tested and proved to be efficient.
“We’ve been in the business for over 10 years in Nigeria, manufacturing tractors in Nigeria. Not one single of our tractors that we sold out has had an issue. It’s something that’s really worthy of commendation.
The Nigerian investor however said Nigerian tractor manufacturers were sure the $70m deal to flood Nigeria with foreign tractors would be cancelled.
Local manufacturers had also fought back during the Muhammadu Buhari time to stop the $2bn Brazilian tractor and agric support deal. Now, local manufacturers think its time for war again.
Bobtrack, said to be Nigeria’s first tractor manufacturing company, seems to lead the war against tractor importation, saying it does not make sense that a country with one of the best tractors in the world is always trying to import.
Bobmanuel hinted that President Tinubu, going by his passion for the Nigerian economy, was expected to reverse the deal. He said the deal was wrong because it would export over 20,000 jobs and destroy local initiatives because Bobtrack alone has capacity to produce 6000 units per year and should thus be encouraged.
Speaking after a game of polo at the annual tournament in Port Harcourt (partly sponsored by Bobtrack), Bobmanuel said what the FG has done is a gross violation of Nigeria’s local content law. “For the federal government to decide to buy tractors from outside Nigeria when you have better tractor manufacturing companies in Nigeria is a breach of the law and a breach of our economic interest.
“For the FG to do that, we at Bobtrack think the federal government seems to be working sometimes at cross purposes.”
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