Lagos State partnered with the Cooperative Rating Society of Nigeria (CRAYSoN) to host the 7th edition of the National Cooperatives Awards, Symposium, and Exhibition 2025, held recently in Lagos, under the theme, “Renewed Hope for Cooperatives: Harnessing the Cooperatives Reform and Revamp Programme to Foster Sustainable Development in Nigeria.”
The event brought together leaders in national cooperative movements from across the country and featured the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, who also supervises Cooperative services, Senator Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.
Speaking at the programme, the Honourable Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Bada Ambrose, urged cooperative stakeholders to adopt a bold and comprehensive agenda of policy innovation anchored on three core principles.
She listed the principles as inclusivity and democratic participation, sustainability, and innovation and adaptability. According to her, inclusivity and democratic participation would ensure cooperatives remain true to voluntary membership, democratic control, and member-driven governance.
Ambrose explained that sustainability should cover economic, social, and environmental dimensions so cooperatives can generate economic surplus while delivering social benefits, promoting environmental stewardship, and supporting long-term national resilience.
On innovation and adaptability, she said cooperatives must embrace digital tools, adopt modern management practices, and engage in continuous learning through stronger training institutions and peer networks, noting that these principles would guide policy pillars shaping the next phase of cooperative development in Nigeria.
The commissioner said Lagos State, under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has continued to pursue cooperative development and a strong, inclusive economy through digitisation initiatives that are already producing positive results.
She cited the Cooperative Management Information System (CMIS) platform, which she said has improved the registration, monitoring, and evaluation of cooperatives in a more seamless, transparent, and efficient manner.
“It is helping us to build a stronger database that will guide our policymaking, improve service delivery, and reduce bottlenecks that hinder the growth of genuine cooperatives,” she said, at the national cooperative gathering there.
