The Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has inaugurated the National Steering Committee (NSC) for the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (RH-CRRP), 2025–2030, to expedite development in the cooperative sector and achieve food security and sustainable economic development.
Speaking during the Inauguration ceremony held at the Ministry’s Conference Room in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Sen. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, stated that cooperatives would serve as critical platforms for agricultural production, enterprise development, access to finance, value chain integration, and inclusive economic participation.
To ensure that the vision of the programme is translated into measurable outcomes across the federation, Sen. Abdullahi revealed that ‘’the RH-CRRP is fully aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, and seeks to transform cooperatives into modern, digitally enabled, transparent, productive, and investment-ready institutions capable of driving national development.”
He pointed out that the occasion marked another significant milestone in the implementation of the RH-CRRP 2025–2030, a transformative national framework approved by the National Council on Cooperative Affairs (NCCA), to reposition Nigeria’s cooperative sector as a strategic vehicle for food security, economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction, financial inclusion, and social empowerment.
‘’It is for this reason that the RH-CRRP provides for the establishment of a National Steering Committee (NSC) to serve as the apex coordinating and policy-guiding body for the Programme,” the Minister stated.
The Minister mentioned that the NSC would focus on strengthening cooperative governance and institutions, driving nationwide cooperative sector digitalisation through the National Cooperative Smart Registry (NCSR), Cooperative Verification Number (CVN), and Cooperative Member Identification Number (CoopID) among other objectives.
He charged members to approach this assignment with patriotism, professionalism, integrity, a deep commitment to national development and to work collaboratively.
He added that ‘’the success of the RH-CRRP will not be measured by the number of meetings held or reports produced” but by the number of cooperatives strengthened, farmers empowered, jobs created, enterprises established, citizens financially included, and communities transformed’’.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi stated that the Committee would provide strategic leadership and oversight for the successful implementation of the RH-CRRP in the country
During his welcome address, the Director, Federal Department of Cooperative, Dr. Mohammed Abdulkadir, described the RH-CRRP as a comprehensive reform framework aimed at transforming the cooperative ecosystem and positioning cooperatives as strategic engines of inclusive economic growth, food security, rural development, and national prosperity.
The Committee is chaired by the Hon. Minister of State and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs and comprises representatives from
i. Federal Department of Cooperatives
ii. Federal Ministry of Finance
iii. Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment
iv. Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy
v. Federal Ministry of Interior
vi. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
vii. Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL)
viii. National Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC)
ix. National Agricultural Development Fund (NADFund)
x. Small & Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)
xi. National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)
xii. Nigeria Technology Development Agency (NITDA)
xiii. Security Exchange Commission (SEC)
xiv. Federal Consumer Competition & Protection Commission (FCCPC)
xv. Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC)
xvi. Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC)
xvii. Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU)
xviii. Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS)
xix. National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)
xx. Bank of Agriculture (BoA)
xxi. National Orientation Agency (NOA)
xxii. CreditRegistry Bureau
xxiii. Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (CFN)
xxiv. Institute of Cooperative Professionals of Nigeria (ICOPRON)
xxv. National Cooperative Financing Agency of Nigeria (CFAN)
xxvi. National Cooperative Insurance Society of Nigeria (NCIS)
xxvii. Nigeria Cooperative Share Exchange Society (NCSX)
xxviii. Cooperative Rating & Award Society of Nigeria (CRASoN)
xxix. Organized Private Sector Bodies (MAN, NECA, NACCIMA, NASME, NASSI, etc.)
xxx. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
xxxi. Other stakeholders as may be approved by the Honourable Minister.
The NSC’s Terms of Reference is as follows
A. Policy and Strategic Oversight
i. Provide overall strategic direction for the implementation of the RH-CRRP.
ii. Advise the Honourable Minister on policy matters relating to cooperative sector reforms.
iii. Ensure alignment of RH-CRRP initiatives with the Renewed Hope Agenda and national development priorities.
iv. Recommend policy, legal, and regulatory reforms necessary for cooperative sector modernization.
B. Programme Coordination
v. Coordinate the implementation of all RH-CRRP projects, programmes, and interventions.
vi. Facilitate collaboration among Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), State Governments, Development Partners, Cooperative Organizations, and the Organized Private Sector.
vii. Promote synergy among stakeholders to avoid duplication of efforts and resources.
viii. Support the establishment of State Cooperative Implementation Committees (SCICs).
C. Cooperative Sector Digitalization
ix. Oversee the implementation of the National Cooperative Smart Registry (NCSR).
x. Guide the nationwide deployment of the Cooperative Verification Number (CVN) system.
xi. Guide the nationwide deployment of the Cooperative Member Identification Number (CoopID) system.
xii. Ensure integration of cooperative databases with relevant national identity and financial systems.
xiii. Promote data governance, transparency, and evidence-based decision-making.
D. Cooperative Financing and Investment
xiv. Provide oversight support for the establishment and operationalization of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria.
xv. Support mobilization of cooperative equity participation and investment.
xvi. Guide implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Relief Fund.
xvii. Facilitate partnerships with financial institutions, development finance institutions, and investors.
E. Institutional Strengthening
xviii. Promote capacity development for cooperative leaders, managers, regulators, and stakeholders.
xix. Support the revitalization of cooperative development institutions and structures.
xx. Encourage professionalization and adoption of best practices within the cooperative sector.
F. Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability
xxi. Develop implementation benchmarks, performance indicators, and accountability frameworks.
xxii. Conduct quarterly implementation reviews.
xxiii. Produce National Cooperative Performance Scorecards.
xxiv. Monitor fund utilization, programme effectiveness, and impact delivery.
xxv. Recommend corrective actions where implementation gaps are identified.
G. Legal and Regulatory Reform
xxvi. Guide the review of the National Cooperative Development Policy.
xxvii. Guide the amendment and modernization of the Nigerian Cooperative Societies Act.
xxviii. Support the development of National Cooperative Regulations and implementation guidelines.
H. Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy
xxix. Lead national advocacy and sensitization on the RH-CRRP.
xxx. Promote inclusion of youth, women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and vulnerable groups.
xxxi. Facilitate partnerships with development partners, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
xxxii. Promote public awareness and stakeholder ownership of the Programme.
