Study of the Relationship Between Cooperative Education and Financial Literacy Among Farmers in Sokoto State

Cooperative education, when systematically delivered, can enhance the financial literacy of members and improve their capacity to manage credit, savings, and enterprise resources effectively. This study investigated the relationship between cooperative education and financial literacy levels among farmer cooperative members in Sokoto State, North West Nigeria. A descriptive correlational design was adopted, with 160 farmer members from fourteen agricultural cooperatives in Sokoto North, Tambuwal, and Bodinga LGAs completing structured questionnaires. Cooperative education exposure was measured by participation in formally organised cooperative education sessions, while financial literacy was assessed using adapted questions on budgeting, savings habits, interest rate comprehension, and loan management knowledge. Pearson correlation and linear regression were used for analysis. Results showed a significant positive relationship between cooperative education exposure and financial literacy scores (r = 0.54; p < 0.001). The effect was particularly strong for interest rate comprehension (r = 0.61) and savings planning (r = 0.58). Members who had completed at least two years of formal cooperative education scored 34.6 percent higher on the financial literacy instrument than those with less than six months of exposure. The study concludes that cooperative education is a powerful driver of financial literacy in rural Sokoto and recommends standardising cooperative education curricula through the Sokoto State Cooperative College, with at least four formal education sessions per year for all affiliated societies. Keywords: cooperative education, financial literacy, farmers, Sokoto State, North West Nigeria