Nigeria and the Kingdom of Thailand have strengthened bilateral cooperation with the signing of agreements on agriculture, cooperatives and innovation to support the implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (RH-CRRP 2030).
The agreements were signed in Lagos during a high-level engagement themed; “Building Sustainable Partnerships: Connecting Youth, Innovation and Business between Thailand and Nigeria.”
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the signing marked a significant step in moving the RH-CRRP 2030 from policy formulation to practical implementation.
READ ALSO: Nigeria, Thailand Deepen Bilateral Cooperation
The agreements included a Record of Discussions involving the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), Kasetsart University and the Federal Cooperative College, Oji-River, Enugu State, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding between Kasetsart University and the Federal Cooperative College.
“Today, we have not merely witnessed the signing of documents; we have witnessed the strengthening of a partnership founded on knowledge, capacity development, innovation, institutional cooperation and shared prosperity,” Abdullahi stated.
According to the Minister, the partnership directly supports Pillar Two of the RH-CRRP 2030, which focuses on institutional strengthening, professionalisation and capacity building.
“At the heart of this pillar is a simple but fundamental principle: we cannot build strong and sustainable cooperatives without strong institutions and well-trained people,” he emphasised.
READ ALSO: Nigeria, Thailand Deepen Ties in Technology, Agriculture
Abdullahi explained that the reform framework places deliberate emphasis on developing the knowledge, professional competence and leadership capacity of cooperative leaders, managers, regulators and members.
He recalled an earlier milestone achieved on August 12, 2026, in Abuja, where the Ministry, the Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (CFN) and Seamfix Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the cooperative digitalisation component of the reform programme.
“This demonstrates that RH-CRRP 2030 is moving beyond policy formulation towards implementation, institutional action and measurable impact,” the Minister noted.
Abdullahi said the partnership aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which seeks to reposition cooperatives as effective instruments for agricultural transformation, enterprise development, job and wealth creation, financial inclusion and sustainable livelihoods.
READ ALSO: Nigeria, Thailand Sign MoU to Deepen Technical Cooperation
“As we work towards Mr President’s aspiration of building a one-trillion-dollar Nigerian economy within this decade, strengthening the capacity, professionalism and productivity of our cooperative institutions and the millions of Nigerians they serve will be critical,” he stressed.
The Minister further observed that Thailand’s experience in agriculture, cooperative development, research and innovation offers valuable opportunities for mutual learning, while Nigeria provides vast agricultural potential, a youthful population and significant investment prospects.
He urged the institutions involved to move beyond the signing of agreements by implementing practical programmes with clear timelines and measurable outcomes.
“May today’s signing mark not the conclusion of a process, but the beginning of a stronger and more productive chapter in Nigeria–Thailand cooperation,” Abdullahi added.
The RH-CRRP 2030 is a seven-pillar reform framework designed to reposition Nigeria’s cooperative sector as a vehicle for inclusive economic growth and shared prosperity.
