Professional Assessment of Inter-Cooperative Trade and Commerce Networks in Northern Nigeria

Inter-cooperative trading networks, where cooperative societies conduct commerce with one another and collaborate on joint procurement and distribution, represent one of the least developed dimensions of the cooperative movement in northern Nigeria. This study professionally assessed the extent, structure, and barriers of inter-cooperative trade and commerce networks in the North West and North Central geopolitical zones. A mixed-methods professional assessment was conducted, involving structured questionnaires with 120 cooperative managers from Sokoto, Kano, and Niger States, and focus group discussions with twenty-two leaders of cooperative federations and apex bodies in the three states. Trade flow data were supplemented by analysis of state cooperative registry records. Results showed that only 18.3 percent of surveyed cooperatives had engaged in any formal trade or commercial transaction with another cooperative society in the preceding year. Absence of a cooperative procurement database (cited by 77.5 percent), low trust between unfamiliar societies (61.7 percent), and inadequate transport infrastructure (54.2 percent) were the primary barriers. Cooperatives that had engaged in inter-cooperative trade reported average cost savings of 19.4 percent on key inputs and access to product varieties unavailable through individual procurement. The study concludes that inter-cooperative commerce is severely underdeveloped in northern Nigeria and recommends establishing a Northern Nigeria Cooperative Trade Marketplace, both physical and digital, as a state-to-state cooperative development priority.

Keywords: inter-cooperative trade, cooperative networks, Northern Nigeria, cooperative commerce, cooperative federation