1. Kenya
Savings and credit cooperative societies (Saccos) have been at the forefront in mobilising savings and investments through provision of affordable loans.
Kenya’s cooperative movement is ranked the best in Africa and seventh-best globally with an asset base of more than Shs 1 trillion.
They have mobilised members’ savings and deposits in excess of Sh732 billion, and a loan portfolio of Sh700 billion.
2. Ethiopia
Cooperatives play an active role in banking, agro-processing, and other social and economic activities.
The number of cooperatives increased from 26,672 in 2009 to 53,982 at the end of 2014 showing a double-digit growth rate of 17 per cent annually.
The aggregate number of members during the same period increased from 5.8 million to 8.3 million (which is 9.8 per cent of the population) and the societies capital increased from one billion birrs (Sh 3.6 billion) to 3.5 billion birrs (Sh 12.6 billion).
3. South Africa
There is certainly recognition in South Africa that cooperatives offer an opportunity for impoverished communities to participate more meaningfully in the economy.
The government of South Africa is committed to providing support to the growth of cooperatives in South Africa, especially amongst previously disadvantaged communities.
The Government has put in place the Cooperatives Advisory Board, which acts as a representative of all Cooperatives and gives advice to Minister of Trade and Industry on all matters that relate to cooperatives in South Africa.
There are an estimated 43,062 cooperatives with KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces have more registered cooperatives compared to other provinces.
4. Egypt
Establishment of cooperatives is often attributed to a lawyer, Omar Lutfi, who launched with his fellow compatriots, a campaign for the emancipation of Egyptian farmers from the exploitation of money lenders and foreign financiers at the beginning of the 20th century.
All cooperatives carry out the marketing functions on behalf of members. Depending on the products they sell them to consumers according to government directions and price limits. The country has about 7,000 societies with four million members.
5. Rwanda
The co-operative movement contributes to the economic wellbeing of citizens directly mostly living in rural areas.
To increase farmer smallholder productivity, particularly in rural areas, the government sought to strengthen farmer co-operatives, which have significantly increased the production of staple food and export crops.
More than 5,000 co-operatives are contributing to the wellbeing of more than two million people in Rwanda, not only in agriculture but also in other sectors such as transport and commodity value addition.
6. Uganda
Societies have existed in Uganda for a century and contributed immensely improving household incomes and wealth creation. The government has prioritised revitalisation and development of co-operatives, which has seen more than 16,500 co-operative societies registered.
Most are savings and credit cooperative societies (Saccos) and agricultural marketing cooperatives. The government has encouraged the formation of Saccos which have enabled increased outreach and access to financial services, especially in rural areas.
7. Ghana
This country was the first to operate a credit union in Africa. With a network covering 85 per cent of rural households, co-operatives have spurred development of agriculture, banking, agro-processing, marketing, fishing and housing. They have also helped to build resources for the harvesting of water; storage facilities and value addition.
8. Senegal
Seventy per cent of rural households in the country are members of rural producers’ organisations. Cooperatives were introduced by the colonial ruler in 1947 and maintained by the independent government, which promoted cooperatives as a tool to intervene in the rural context through mechanisation, input distribution, and through food security programs.
At the same time, the state also promoted the creation of women’s groups (Groupement de Promotion Féminine, ) to support them in agricultural activities.
9. Nigeria
There are proliferations of cooperative societies operating in nearly all the sectors of the Nigerian economy. It should also be noted that these societies function from rural to urban communities, and they have an immense impact on government establishments and institutions of higher learning.
10. Tanzania
Cooperatives in Tanzania have a long history dating back to the late 1920s. The network of savings and credit cooperative societies are grass-roots financial institutions which have stood the test of time as effective micro-financial institutions, offering members a convenient home for their savings and an access point for loans.
