A New Dawn for Graduate Economic Empowerment and Financial Independence through Cooperative Entrepreneurship and Innovations in Nigeria, says Dr. Peter Ayim, President, National Corps Members Cooperative Society (Corps-Coop).
The National Corps Members Cooperative Society (Corps-Coop), a pioneering cooperative society endorsed by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Federal Department of Cooperatives (FDC) is dedicated to advancing the economic empowerment and financial independence of Nigerian graduates through entrepreneurship, financial inclusion and sustainable development initiatives.
At a press briefing with journalist in Abuja, Mr. Lugard Okonobo who serves as Secretary of the Corps-Coop said that Corps-Coop seeks to leverage social capital to pool resources, foster collaboration and promote innovation, as Nigeria join the global community of cooperators to celebrate the United Nations’ declaration of Year 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC 2025), recognizes the monumental role cooperatives play in driving sustainable development, fostering inclusion, and empowering communities worldwide of which informed the establishment of Corps-Coop to address the rising number of graduates without job after their NYSC.
This is contained in a statement signed by the President & Chairman, Board of Directors, Dr. Peter Ayim.
The United Nations Declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC 2025) is indeed a game-changer and a call to action for nations, communities and individuals to leverage the power of cooperatives as engines of economic empowerment, social inclusion and sustainable development.
Dr. Peter Ayim further call on all stakeholders and development partners to advance the global recognition of cooperatives which aligns perfectly with the mission of Corps-Coop to empower graduates with cooperative principles, Values of solidarity, Collaboration, Self-responsibility, Self-help, Mutual support and Equity as a platform to pool resources collectively to build sustainable businesses leveraging innovative cooperative business models in Agribusiness Value Chain, Environmental Stewardship, Digital Economy, Export Trade amongst others.
The United Nations IYC 2025 is more than a celebration, it is a rallying cry for young people to step into leadership roles and drive economic transformation through cooperative entrepreneurship. Under the auspices of CorpsCoop, Nigerian graduates have the tools, the platform and the global recognition to turn challenges into opportunities and build a sustainable future for themselves and their communities.
As Nigeria’s premier cooperative society for young graduates, Corps-Coop sees the UN declaration as an unparalleled opportunity to harness the potential of Nigerian youth for economic transformation and innovation through the cooperative financing to support Nigerian graduates and avail them opportunities to transform their future endeavours.
With IYC 2025 placing a global spotlight on cooperatives, Corps-Coop shall explore all local and international financial, technical, human and material resources to lead transformative initiatives that will unlock the potential of Nigerian corps members and graduates to be financial empowered and socially responsible.
Mr. Lugard Okonobo who currently serves as Director General of NigWED Project, stated further that IYC 2025 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for graduates to seize the transformative power of cooperatives to advance sustainable economic empowerment and financial independence.
Dr. Peter Ayim who is a multi-award winning Business Development and Financial Inclusion Specialist further stated that The International Year of Cooperatives provides an avenue for CorpsCoop to collaborate with international organizations, unlocking funding, training and global expertise, share its success stories on a global platform, inspiring similar initiatives across Africa and beyond and advocating for stronger policy frameworks to support youth-led cooperatives in Nigeria. He therefore call on all corps members, policymakers and development partners to join hands in making 2025 a landmark year for cooperative-driven youth empowerment in Nigeria.
Together, we can create a brighter, sustainable future where every graduate has the opportunity to thrive through cooperation.
