FG unveils RH-CRRP 2030 in Bayelsa, seeks cooperatives’ buy-in for cooperative bank, digitalisation
The Representative of the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Hon Victor Oyegoke (C) during the Ministerial Advocacy Tour in South South Geopolitical Zone
Omeiza Bilal
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 place 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.
