$5bn AssuredInvest Cooperative Trust Fund launched to promote job creation

A $5 billion AssuredInvest Cooperative Trust Fund was unveiled at the weekend by MAIS Limited. The Chief Operating Officer Benjamin Aduli described the launch as a game-changer for cooperatives across the country, saying the $5 billion AssuredInvest Cooperative Trust Fund is a demand-driven fund responding to verified cooperative demands and needs, ensuring mobilized capital directly impacts real people, enterprises, and communities. He spearheaded the launch of the $5 billion AssuredInvest Cooperative Trust Fund, which serves as a pioneering initiative in Africa’s cooperative finance landscape. He said “I stand before you today with deep pride and an even deeper sense of purpose, as we officially unveil one of the most transformative financial vehicles ever created for the cooperative sector in Africa—the $5 Billion AssuredInvest Cooperative Trust Fund.
“This is not just another fund. It is a movement. A bold declaration that cooperative capital—when properly structured, transparently governed, and purposefully deployed—can unlock the full economic potential of our people, our farmlands, our small businesses, and our national future. For decades, the Nigerian cooperative system has been treated as an afterthought—underutilized, underfinanced, and underestimated. Today, that era ends. With this Fund, we are shifting from marginalization to mobilization. What makes the AssuredInvest Fund truly historic is its demand-driven nature. Unlike traditional financing models that are supply-driven—flooding the market with unsolicited capital—this fund responds only to verified cooperative demand. It is tailored to the real, structured needs of cooperative members—whether that’s a rice farmer in Lokoja, a housing cooperative in Enugu, an MSME cluster in Kaduna, or a youth cooperative in Abeokuta. He further explained that, “This Fund is backed by institutional capital- Governed by cooperative law, not securities law- Driven by clear cooperative use-cases: food production, mechanization, housing, education, clean energy, and digital is not a public investment scheme. It is a secured cooperative financing framework, created by members, for members, and through members.
He assured that, “The Fund will be administered transparently with the oversight of trustee banks, insurance underwriters, and cooperative federations—including our partners from:- Cooperative Financing Agency of Nigeria (CFAN)- National Agricultural Cooperative Organisation (NACO)- Cooperative Housing Federation of Nigeria (COHFON)- Akilaah National Cooperative Federation (Akilaah)Together, we are building more than a financial fund—we are building a new era of economic justice, where membership equals access and contribution guarantees returns.” According to him, “In the weeks ahead, we will begin onboarding verified cooperative societies nationwide to participate. We encourage federations, unions, primary cooperatives, and affiliate networks to engage with the Maistrade Ecosystem, access onboarding kits, and take advantage of this generational opportunity. Let history remember this day not just as a launch, but as the day Nigerian cooperatives stood up—not to beg, but to build. I welcome you all to the AssuredInvest Generation.