The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to repositioning the cooperative sector as a key driver of economic transformation through a comprehensive reform programme aimed at promoting financial inclusion, job creation, and sustainable development.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, stated this while addressing participants at the Summit on Cooperative Education for Sustainable Development in Kaduna. Speaking on the theme, “Cooperative Education as a Tool for Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Development,” the minister described cooperative education as a critical instrument for building strong, resilient, and sustainable cooperative institutions capable of driving grassroots economic growth.
The summit was organised by the Federal Cooperative College, Kaduna, in collaboration with the International Cooperative Society Limited (INCOPS) and other partners. Dr. Abdullahi commended the organisers for their commitment to advancing cooperative education and capacity building, stressing that continuous stakeholder engagement is essential for achieving meaningful reforms within the sector.
According to him, cooperatives remain among the most effective grassroots economic institutions in Nigeria, serving millions of farmers, traders, artisans, transport operators, civil servants, women, youths, and vulnerable groups across the country. He noted that the rapidly evolving global economy requires cooperative societies to become more knowledge-driven, technologically enabled, professionally managed, and inclusive in order to remain relevant and competitive.
The minister disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is implementing the National Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a five-year initiative designed to reposition the cooperative sector as a major contributor to national development and economic prosperity. He explained that the programme is anchored on seven strategic pillars: governance and legal reforms; access to affordable finance; digitalisation and data management; capacity building; value-chain development; inclusion of women, youths, and persons with disabilities; and strategic partnerships and investments.
Dr. Abdullahi revealed that nationwide advocacy and stakeholder engagement campaigns have already commenced to build consensus around the reform agenda, adding that stakeholders’ responses have been encouraging. Highlighting the government’s immediate priorities, he announced plans for the digital transformation of the cooperative sector through the establishment of a National Cooperative Digital Architecture Platform, which will enhance transparency, accountability, and access to reliable data.
According to him, the initiative will facilitate the creation of a National Cooperative Smart Registry, as well as the issuance of Cooperative Verification Numbers (CVN) for societies and Cooperative Member Identification Numbers (COPID) for individual members, thereby strengthening regulatory oversight and improving access to finance. The minister also disclosed plans to establish the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, which will be owned and managed by cooperative societies to provide affordable financial services and support economic activities within the sector.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, Kaduna, Awwal Ibrahim Mohammed, described cooperative education as a vital tool for addressing poverty, unemployment, inequality, food insecurity, and financial exclusion in Nigeria. Mohammed said cooperative societies offer people-centred solutions to development challenges by empowering individuals and communities to participate actively in economic activities while promoting entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, food security, and social cohesion. He reaffirmed the college’s commitment to producing skilled cooperative professionals and expressed optimism that the summit’s deliberations would generate actionable recommendations capable of strengthening the cooperative movement and advancing sustainable economic development in Nigeria.
