The Federal Government has unveiled the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (RH-CRRP 2030) in the South-South Zone, calling on cooperative societies to take ownership of two flagship initiatives: the proposed Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the National Cooperative Sector Digitalization Drive.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Sen. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, made the call in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, recently as the Distinguished Guest of Honour at the Grand Finale of the 2026 United Nations International Day of Cooperatives Celebration and the South-South Zonal Engagement of the Ministerial Advocacy Tour.
The event, held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa, was themed “Cooperatives for a Peaceful World.”
The Minister of State was represented by his Special Assistant on Cooperative & Farmers Welfare, Hon. Victor Oyegoke noted that cooperatives are not merely economic institutions but builders of peace, unity, social cohesion and shared prosperity.
“By creating jobs, reducing poverty, promoting social justice, empowering women and youth, strengthening food systems and fostering community ownership, cooperatives continue to prove that sustainable peace is built on inclusive economic opportunities,” he said.
Sen. Abdullahi commended the Bayelsa State Government for its commitment to cooperative development through the State’s Bureau for Cooperative Development and sustained support to cooperative societies across the state.
“Bayelsa has continued to demonstrate that cooperatives remain one of the most effective instruments for empowering citizens, stimulating local enterprise, promoting financial inclusion and fostering inclusive growth,” he said.
He pointed out that the South-South Zone occupies a distinguished place in Nigeria’s cooperative history, citing Chief J. U. Eka, MBE, an illustrious son of the Niger Delta who became the first Indigenous Nigerian Registrar of Cooperative Societies.
“This rich legacy places an even greater responsibility on the South-South Zone to once again provide leadership in advancing RH-CRRP 2030,” he said.
According to him, RH-CRRP 2030, approved by the National Council on Cooperative Affairs (NCCA), is being implemented in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to reposition cooperatives as a strategic driver of food security, financial inclusion, enterprise development and employment generation.
He disclosed that the advocacy tour focuses on two transformational initiatives.
The first is the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria. The proposed bank, he said, will be “government-enabled but cooperatively owned and controlled” and will provide affordable financial services to farmers, artisans, traders, MSMEs, women, youth and cooperative enterprises nationwide.
“I therefore call on cooperative societies throughout the South-South Zone to actively participate in the ongoing Share Capital Mobilization Campaign and become foundation owners of this historic institution,” he urged.
The second is the National Cooperative Sector Digitalization Drive. The Ministry, in partnership with tech providers, is building the National Cooperative Digital Architecture Platform (NCDAP). The first phase is the National Cooperative Smart Registry (NCSR). Under this, every registered and existing cooperative society will receive a Cooperative Verification Number (CVN), while every individual cooperator will receive a Cooperative Member Identification Number (CoopID).
“These digital innovations will strengthen governance, eliminate fraudulent cooperatives, improve transparency, facilitate access to finance, attract investment and position the Nigerian cooperative movement within the formal digital economy,” Sen. Abdullahi said.
He stressed that the reforms are “movement-driven, not government projects imposed from above,” and their success depends on governments, cooperative federations, development partners, investors, and every individual cooperator.
The Minister outlined the vision for the reformed movement as one that is: Inclusive; professionally managed; digitally driven; financially empowered; globally competitive; and a major contributor to the realization of Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Together, let us build a cooperative movement that will transform communities. Together, let us build a Cooperative Bank owned by cooperators. Together, let us build a digital cooperative ecosystem that inspires confidence, attracts investment and creates prosperity for millions of Nigerians,” he said.
In his remarks, the Bayelsa Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Ebieri Jones said that the state government, through the ministry, was effectively regulating cooperative societies and had ensured that they thrived.
He explained that the Bureau of Cooperatives had sanitized the governance framework of cooperative societies, enabling them to remain active and deliver returns to members.
Responding on behalf of Cooperative Group, President of the Bayelsa Cooperative Federation, Toney Soroh, commended the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for the ongoing reforms in the cooperative movement.
He assured that the 43 active cooperative societies in the state would subscribe to the shares of the proposed bank.
In attendance were Over 40 cooperative societies participated in the 2026 United Nations International Day of Cooperatives.
Ezeaja Ikemefuna
Head, Department of Information
30/7/2026
