An Empirical Study of the Impact of Social Capital on Cooperative Performance in Plateau State

Social capital, encompassing trust, norms of reciprocity, and networks of collective action, is theoretically identified as a foundational asset of cooperative organisations, yet its empirical measurement and impact on cooperative performance in conflict-affected northern Nigerian contexts remain underexplored. This study empirically investigated the relationship between social capital dimensions and cooperative performance in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed, with structured questionnaires administered to 240 cooperative members from forty cooperative societies in Jos North, Shendam, and Mangu LGAs. Social capital was operationalised through bonding (internal trust and reciprocity), bridging (external network ties), and linking (vertical relationship with state institutions) dimensions using an adapted social capital assessment instrument. Cooperative performance was assessed through a validated composite score covering financial, governance, and member service dimensions. Structural equation modelling was used to test the social capital-performance pathways. Results confirmed that bonding social capital had the strongest direct effect on cooperative performance (standardised coefficient 0.54; p < 0.001), with bridging social capital also showing a significant positive effect (0.39; p < 0.001). Linking social capital showed a moderate positive effect moderated by institutional quality, with stronger effects in cooperatives with more active state cooperative department engagement. Conflict history significantly moderated the bonding-performance relationship, reducing the effectiveness of internal social capital in conflict-affected communities. The study contributes empirical social capital-cooperative performance analysis uniquely situated in the Plateau conflict context. Keywords: social capital, cooperative performance, Plateau State, bonding social capital, structural equation modelling