The Federal Government is set to reposition cooperative societies as a catalyst for grassroots wealth creation through the implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (RH-CRRP).
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, made this known during the commemoration of the 2nd United Nations International Year of Cooperatives (IYC), held recently at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
Dr. Abdullahi emphasized that cooperative development has been identified as a strategic vehicle for poverty eradication, rural transformation, and inclusive economic growth.
“Today, cooperatives account for over one billion members globally, operating in more than 100 countries and creating over 280 million jobs — representing nearly 10% of the world’s workforce,” he said.
According to him, cooperative societies in Nigeria are driving transformation across key sectors including agriculture, housing, credit, transportation, and trade. “With over 370,000 registered cooperatives across the country, millions of Nigerians—especially women and youth—are benefiting through increased agricultural productivity, improved rural livelihoods, and expanded financial inclusion,” he noted.
The RH-CRRP will focus on several transformative areas including; Policy and regulatory reforms to enhance governance, accountability, and ease of doing business, Digitalization of cooperative registries at federal and state levels, Capacity building for cooperators and cooperative officers and Entrepreneurial training, financial literacy, and enterprise development.
Dr. Abdullahi commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his administration’s commitment to revitalizing the cooperative sector through the RH-CRRP.
He also announced that a National Stakeholders’ Validation Workshop will be held from July 30 to 31, 2025, in Abuja. The workshop will bring together cooperative leaders, development partners, and other stakeholders to finalize and validate the programme framework.
In a welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi—represented by Engr. Mohammed Bello, Director II, Agricultural Lands and Climate Change Management Services—reiterated that cooperatives have long played a vital role in food production, market access, financial inclusion, and national food security.
The event was attended by members of various cooperative societies and key stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
A highlight of the occasion was the decoration of Dr. Abdullahi as the Grand Patron of the Cooperative Movement in Nigeria, while the Permanent Secretary was also honored as Patron of the movement.
