FG inaugurates National Committee to revive Cooperatives, boost food security
The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Steering Committee (NSC) for the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (RH-CRRP), 2025–2030.
The programme is designed to modernize Nigeria’s cooperative sector and boost food security and economic growth. The NSC will drive implementation and ensure the programme delivers measurable results nationwide.
Inaugurating the Committee on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, described the RH-CRRP as a strategic shift toward using cooperatives as engines of grassroots economic transformation.
This programme will modernize cooperative structures, expand access to finance, and strengthen governance at all levels. We are positioning cooperatives as real drivers of jobs, food production, and rural prosperity,” the Minister said.
The Committee, chaired by the Hon. Minister of State and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, comprises representatives from Federal MDAs, financial and agricultural institutions, regulatory and anti-graft agencies, digital and data bodies, apex cooperative organizations, organized private sector, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders approved by the Minister.
Its mandate covers policy harmonization, monitoring and evaluation, and coordination with state governments to ensure uniform implementation.
Key targets for the 2025–2030 period include raising cooperative contribution to agricultural GDP by 40%, digitizing registration and auditing processes for 70% of registered cooperatives, and growing membership to 15 million Nigerians. The programme will prioritize women and youth-led cooperatives through dedicated credit and capacity-building windows.
Pilot activities will begin across the six geopolitical zones before the end of Q1 2026, with full national rollout scheduled for mid-2026. Progress will be tracked through a public dashboard to promote transparency and accountability.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, stated that the Secretariat will provide full technical and administrative backing to the Committee to meet its targets.
“Our role is to ensure the NSC has the data, tools, and inter-agency support needed to drive execution. We are already mapping existing cooperatives and aligning state-level frameworks so that implementation is seamless from day one,” he said.
Dr. Ogunbiyi added that the Ministry will work closely with development partners and the private sector to de-risk cooperative financing and fast-track digital onboarding.
“The 15 million membership target is ambitious but achievable. With the caliber of institutions on this Committee, Nigerians will see real change in how cooperatives create wealth and food security at the community level,” he assured
