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In April 2016, former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom took a bold step toward modernizing agriculture in Nigeria’s “Food Basket” by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China’s Shandong Wuzheng Group. The agreement, inked in Rizhao, Shandong Province, aimed to establish a modern tractor assembly plant in Makurdi, the state capital. Ortom signed on behalf of the Benue State Government, with Wuzheng’s President and Chairman, Mr. Weidong Jiang, and facilitator Mr. Pascal Enolue representing the Chinese firm.
The initiative promised to bring state-of-the-art tractor production closer to local farmers, cutting costs on imported machinery, generating employment, and boosting productivity in a state where agriculture remains the economic backbone. Wuzheng, a longstanding manufacturer of tractors, agricultural vehicles, and related equipment since the 1960s, was seen as a strong partner for technology transfer and sustainable agro-industrial growth.
At the time, the deal sparked optimism about attracting foreign investment and addressing long-standing challenges in farm mechanization. However, like many ambitious MOUs from that era, the tractor assembly plant under the Wuzheng partnership did not materialize as planned. Public records and recent reports show no evidence of the facility becoming operational during Ortom’s tenure or immediately after. Benue has a history of stalled industrial projects, with several moribund enterprises lingering from previous administrations.
Fast-forward to today, and the vision of local tractor assembly is seeing renewed life under the current administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia. In late 2025, the governor has repeatedly highlighted ongoing construction and progress at a tractor and equipment assembly plant in Makurdi, managed through the Bureau of Agricultural Development and Mechanization. Recent inspections revealed active work on the site, coupled with significant human capacity building—over 900 youths have been trained in tractor assembly, maintenance, and modern farming techniques.
Governor Alia has positioned this project as a cornerstone of full agricultural mechanization, starting with the dry-season farming program set to launch in December 2025. The emphasis is on public-private partnerships, improved seedlings, and ready access to assembled tractors and implements to enhance productivity and food security. While no direct link to the 2016 Wuzheng MOU appears in current updates—suggesting it may have lapsed or evolved differently—the core idea of a homegrown assembly facility persists and is now gaining momentum.
This shift underscores a recurring theme in Benue’s development story: persistent ambition to mechanize agriculture amid changing leadership and economic realities. Whether the current efforts build indirectly on past initiatives or represent a fresh start, they signal hope for farmers who have long awaited affordable, locally supported machinery. As dry-season activities approach, the success of this assembly plant could mark a turning point for Benue’s agrarian economy.
