Abuja: The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (CFN) and Seamfix Ltd. to deploy Nigeria’s National Cooperative Identity, Trust and Digital Governance Infrastructure. Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), signed the agreement on behalf of the ministry at the National Technical Workshop on Cooperative Sector Digitalisation.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, emphasized that the MoU marks a new phase for Nigeria’s cooperative sector in terms of visibility, accountability, and digital governance. He highlighted the transition from demonstration to implementation under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (RH-CRRP) 2030, executed under the Public-Private-People Partnership (4Ps) model.
Abdullahi explained that existing cooperatives would
undergo verification and authentication by their respective State Departments of Cooperatives before being onboarded onto the National Cooperative Smart Registry (NCSR). Verified cooperatives will receive a Cooperative Verification Number (CVN), while members will progressively receive Cooperative Member Identification Numbers (CoopID). These identifiers will form the foundation of the National Cooperative Digital Architecture Platform (NCDAP), addressing identity and data gaps, and enabling the government to identify genuine cooperatives, track interventions, and measure their impact.
The minister noted that a verified CVN would serve as a trusted credential for cooperatives seeking government interventions, bank loans, contracts, and partnerships. The platform will integrate with CoopCHECK, a cooperative credit bureau, to improve credit profiling and lending, while extending access through USSD and feature phones for rural cooperators. Abdullahi reiterated, ‘The objective is: one genuine cooperative, one v
erifiable CVN; one cooperative member, one verifiable CoopID.’
Abdullahi also called for the harmonisation of ongoing reviews of the Nigerian Cooperative Societies Act to produce a new bill for repeal and re-enactment. The proposed legislation would recognise digital registration, electronic records, identity, data governance, and financial technology. The ministry plans to collaborate with CFN, the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, and other relevant institutions to develop a modern legal framework for the sector.
Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi stated that FMAFS would provide institutional coordination and stakeholder engagement support required for implementation, subject to the terms of the MoU. He noted that Seamfix would deploy, operate, maintain, and support the initial phase covering cooperative registration, validation, and identity administration. State Directors of Cooperatives will implement the digital tools at the state level, with the project eventually establishing a nationwide cooperative ide
ntity and digital trust ecosystem.
Mr Frank Atube, Executive Director of Seamfix Ltd., pointed out that the CVN would provide every registered cooperative with a verified national identity, while the CoopID would offer individual cooperators an identity linked to their societies and integrated with the national identity infrastructure. He emphasized that the system would enhance access to government programs, regulatory support, development partnerships, and credit for verified cooperatives.