Assessment of Cooperative Membership Growth Trends in Adamawa State from 2015 to 2023

Understanding the patterns and drivers of cooperative membership growth is important for evaluating the health of the cooperative movement and designing effective outreach and promotion strategies. This study assessed cooperative membership growth trends in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria, over the period 2015 to 2023. A secondary data analysis methodology was adopted, drawing on annual cooperative registry data obtained from the Adamawa State Department of Cooperatives. Quantitative data covered the number of registered cooperatives, total membership figures, active versus dormant societies, and cooperative type distribution across the eight-year period. Trend analysis, growth rate calculations, and descriptive charting were employed. Results showed a net increase in registered cooperatives from 847 to 1,312 over the period, representing a 55.0 percent growth rate. However, the proportion of dormant cooperatives increased from 22.4 percent to 34.1 percent, suggesting that formal registration growth masks organisational fragility. Agricultural cooperative membership grew steadily, while consumer cooperative membership declined across the study period. Growth was lowest in the 2020 to 2021 period, coinciding with COVID-19 restrictions and insecurity disruptions in the northeast. The study concludes that cooperative sector growth in Adamawa State has been numerically significant but qualitatively uneven. Recommendations include strategies for reactivating dormant cooperatives, incentives for cooperative consolidation, and enhanced post-registration support from the state cooperative department.

Keywords: cooperative membership growth, Adamawa State, cooperative registry, trend analysis, North East Nigeria