By Bashir Bello and Ocheje Ojonugwa Edwards
The Federal Government has taken a bold step toward transforming Nigeria’s cooperative movement with the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the deployment of a National Cooperative Identity and Digital Governance Infrastructure.
The agreement was sealed during the National Technical Workshop on Cooperative Sector Digitalization at Abuja Continental Hotel, under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform & Revamp Programme (RH-CRRP 2030).
The MoU was signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, alongside Mrs. Meshak Hannatu, President of the Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (CFN), and Frank Atube, Executive Director of Seamfix Limited, with other dignitaries including Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, and Dr. Olubummi Fajobi, National President of ICOPRON, in attendance.
Speaking at the ceremony, Senator Abdullahi described the initiative as “the beginning of a new era of visibility, trust, accountability and digital governance” for Nigeria’s cooperative ecosystem.
He emphasized that the project moves the sector “from demonstration to implementation,” ensuring that every cooperative and member is verifiable under the new system.
The government also announced a 6-month nationwide revalidation and re-certification exercise for all existing cooperatives. Verified societies will be issued a Cooperative Verification Number (CVN), while individual members will receive a Cooperative Member Identification Number (CoopID), both integrated into the National Cooperative Smart Registry (NCSR).
Dr. Ogunbiyi explained that the MoU establishes the technical backbone for cooperative identity, enabling secure registration, verification, and governance. Seamfix Limited will deploy and maintain the infrastructure, leveraging its experience in managing over 350 million identities across Africa.
Frank Atube of Seamfix highlighted that the CVN and CoopID will serve as trusted credentials, opening doors to government programmes, bank loans, contracts, and partnerships.
“Identity is a right, not a privilege,” he said, stressing that the system will ensure inclusion for rural cooperators through USSD and feature phone access.
The Minister linked the digital identity system to the proposed Cooperative Bank of Nigeria (CoopBank), noting that verified data will strengthen responsible lending and financial inclusion.
He also directed the harmonization of ongoing reviews of the Cooperative Societies Act to produce a modern law that recognizes digital registration, electronic records, and fintech integration.
“From fragmentation to visibility. From anonymity to verification. From exclusion to financial inclusion. The destination is shared prosperity,” Senator Abdullahi declared, underscoring the government’s commitment to a transparent and inclusive cooperative economy.
The event was witnessed by top stakeholders, including Mr. Mohammed Bashir Abdulkadir and several VIPs, marking a historic milestone in Nigeria’s cooperative reform journey.
