Group launches $5bn cooperative trust fund, national drone surveillance

MAIS Limited has launched a groundbreaking $5 billion AssuredInvest Cooperative Trust Fund, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s cooperative movement.

The fund, unveiled in Abuja, at the weekend, aimed to unlock the economic potentials of Nigerian Cooperatives, particularly in areas such as food production, mechanisation, housing, education, clean energy, and digital inclusion.

According to Benjamin Aduli, Chief Vision Officer of MAIS Limited, “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.”

The AssuredInvest Fund is designed to address the long-standing issue of under-utilisation and under-financing of Nigerian Cooperatives. Key features of the fund include.

He said the fund had a demand-driven approach, a governance structure, clear use cases and also has transparent administration.

He noted that the fund responds only to verified Cooperative demand, tailoring its support to the real needs of Cooperative members and is governed by Cooperative law, not securities law, ensuring that the fund serves the interests of its members.

Similarly, one of the partners, Terra Industries launched the National Drone Surveillance Programme for Nigerian Farmlands

Nathan Nwachuku, Chief Executive Officer of Terra Industries, said, “The launch of the National Drone Surveillance Programme is not a ceremonial event, but a strategic intervention that recognises the urgent need to protect our food producers, safeguard agricultural assets, and ensure that the efforts of Nigeria’s farmers do not go to waste.”

The programme, he said, is a strategic partnership between Terra Industries, MAIS Limited, and Maistrade Multipurpose Cooperative Society.

Nwachukwu said the programme would provide 24/7 aerial surveillance, persistent situational awareness, real-time threat detection, and data analytics to inform security decisions.

“The initiative will initially cover 40,000 hectares in Kogi State, protecting over 20,000 rice farmers operating under the MAIS Cooperative network. With a roadmap to extend across all 36 states, the program aims to provide a scalable digital backbone for agro-security, crop monitoring, disaster response, and smart irrigation”, he added.

Nwachuku emphasised the importance of inclusion, stating that the programme would “embed drone technology within the cooperative ecosystem so that even the smallest farmer in the remotest part of Nigeria can benefit from real-time security intelligence.”

Also speaking, Esther Audu, National President Women in Agriculture Coalition, described the launch as a “national awakening” to the power of collective prosperity, technological foresight, and cooperative finance as a tool for development.

She highlighted the unique features of the AssuredInvest Trust Fund, including its demand-driven approach and focus on verified Cooperative demand and needs.

The National Drone Surveillance Programme, starting with 20,000 rice farmers in Kogi State is aimed at bringing real-time protection and digital intelligence to Nigeria’s food systems.

Audu commended the vision and leadership of Benjamin Aduli and the partnership spirit of Nathan Nwachuku, noting that the initiatives signal Nigeria’s cooperative movement is “ready to scale, ready to secure, and ready to serve.”