Nigeria and Thailand have strengthened bilateral cooperation with new agreements covering agriculture, cooperatives and innovation, as part of efforts to implement the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (RH-CRRP) 2030.

The agreements were signed in Lagos during a high-level engagement themed Building Sustainable Partnerships: Connecting Youth, Innovation and Business between Thailand and Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Senator Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the agreements marked a shift from policy development to practical implementation of RH-CRRP 2030.

The agreements include a Record of Discussions involving the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), Kasetsart University and the Federal Cooperative College, Oji-River, Enugu. A separate Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between Kasetsart University and the Federal Cooperative College.

“Today, we have not merely witnessed the signing of documents; we have witnessed the strengthening of a partnership founded on knowledge, capacity development, innovation, institutional cooperation and shared prosperity,” Abdullahi said.

He said the partnership directly supports Pillar 2 of RH-CRRP 2030, which focuses on institutional strengthening, professionalisation and capacity building.

“At the heart of this pillar is a simple but fundamental principle: we cannot build strong and sustainable cooperatives without strong institutions and well-trained people,” he said.

The minister said the reform prioritises the development of knowledge, professional skills and leadership capacity among cooperative leaders, managers, regulators and members.

He also highlighted an earlier milestone on August 12 in Abuja, when the ministry, the Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (CFN) and Seamfix Limited signed an MoU on the digitalisation pillar of the reform.

According to Abdullahi, the development shows that RH-CRRP 2030 is moving from policy formulation towards implementation and measurable results.

He said the partnership with Thailand supports President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by strengthening cooperatives as tools for agricultural transformation, enterprise development, job creation, wealth creation, financial inclusion and sustainable livelihoods.

“As we work towards Mr. President’s aspiration of building a one-trillion-dollar Nigerian economy within this decade, strengthening the capacity, professionalism and productivity of our cooperative institutions and the millions of Nigerians they serve will be critical,” he said.

Abdullahi said Thailand’s experience in agriculture, cooperative development, research and innovation offers opportunities for mutual learning, while Nigeria brings significant agricultural potential, a large youthful population and investment opportunities.

He urged the participating institutions to move quickly from signing agreements to implementation, with clear programmes, timelines and measurable outcomes.

“May today’s signing mark not the conclusion of a process, but the beginning of a stronger and more productive chapter in Nigeria–Thailand cooperation,” he added.

The event was attended by Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria, the Ambassador of Nigeria to Thailand, the Director-General of TICA, the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), the President of Kasetsart University and the Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, Oji-River.

RH-CRRP 2030 is a seven-pillar reform framework aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s cooperative sector as a driver of inclusive economic growth and broader prosperity.

Image: Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi