Cooperatives and Coopbank

Cooperatives are people-centered enterprises owned, controlled, and run by and for their members to realize their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations (ICA). The cooperative movement began in Europe in the 19th century; by now, 12% of humanity is a member of any of the 3 million cooperatives on earth. Cooperatives vary depending on the service offered and the way that the members are organized, and the major ones are producer or marketing cooperatives, consumer cooperatives, housing cooperatives, and financial cooperatives, among others.

Cooperative Bank of Oromia, also abbreviated as Coopbank, is the first bank of its kind in Ethiopia with a unique business model and ownership structure. Majority of the bank’s shareholders belong to the famers-owned cooperatives in Ethiopia, and currently there are 5,212 cooperatives making about 67%+ of the bank’s paid-up capital. Not only does the bank’s brand and identity embeds the values of cooperatives and togetherness but also serving this segment and rooting its foundation in the communities remains a core mission of the bank.

Coopbank endeavors to address financial needs of cooperatives and individual farmers through its branches dispersed in a rural towns and outlets, and has been helping to fill gaps that others have disregarded. The bank has become a real ally to the food and agriculture sector through financing the production, marketing and processing of agricultural goods up to the final consumers. The bank moreover aspires to enhance its involvement in agricultural value-adding financing so as to strengthen and transform the cooperative movement and agricultural production. Adhering to one of the basic principles of cooperatives, the bank has a dedicated unit and operating model which enables it provide capacity building services to cooperative leadership and employees.

Cooperatives Customers Served by the bank;

  • Coffee producer cooperatives
  • Grain marketing cooperatives
  • SACCOs (Financial cooperatives)
  • Consumer cooperatives
  • Apiculture cooperatives
  • Housing cooperatives
  • Horticulture cooperatives
  • Dairy cooperatives
  • Livestock cooperatives
  • Forestry cooperatives, and others