About Us
Empowering and promoting cooperatives in Africa
ACCOSCA, the African Confederation of Cooperative Savings and Credit Associations, is Africa’s leading organization for cooperative finance and an international development organization headquartered in Kenya and part of the diplomatic community. We represent and strengthen Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs), credit unions, and their national associations across the continent.
Through the Cooperative Finance Framework and strategic partnerships, we advance financial inclusion, strengthen cooperative institutions, and elevate the voice of Africa’s cooperative movement on the regional and global stage.
Our Vision
To promote financial inclusion across Africa through strong and sustainable cooperative financial systems.
Our Mission
To sustainably empower SACCOs through high-impact technical programs, strategic partnerships, and knowledge-driven solutions.
What We Do
Our mission is to sustainably empower savings and cooperative credit organizations (SACCOs) across the continent. Key services and programs include:
Convene
We facilitate collaboration, knowledge exchange, and partnership among cooperative leaders, regulators, policymakers, and development organizations across Africa and around the world.
Strengthen
We build institutional capacity through leadership development, professional certification, technical assistance, and industry best practices.
Advocate
We champion policies, regulations, and initiatives that support safe, sustainable, and inclusive cooperative financial systems.
Advance
We help shape the future of cooperative finance through research, innovation, data initiatives, and strategic partnerships that drive long-term impact.
Our Role
ACCOSCA is uniquely positioned at the intersection of Africa’s cooperative movement and the global financial inclusion community.
As the continental voice for cooperative excellence
We serve as the strategic bridge connecting SACCOs, national associations, regulators, policymakers, and global stakeholders. By bringing these groups together, we help member institutions translate national development priorities into meaningful financial solutions that expand access, build resilience, and strengthen livelihoods across the continent. We carry African perspectives into global conversations and bring global expertise and opportunities closer to home.
Together, we are building a stronger, more inclusive financial future for Africa.
Our Strategic Objectives
Our work is guided by key priorities that reflect both the needs of our members and the opportunities facing Africa.
Gender Equality
Reducing gender disparities in our communities.
Youth Inclusion
Mainstreaming youth initiatives in SACCOs.
Regulation and Supervision
Improving regulatory and compliance knowledge.
Governance Principles
Promoting cooperative governance principles.
Digital Inclusion
Helping rural and urban communities access digital financing services.
Climate Action
Adopting sustainable operations and green finance.
Our History
Since 1968, ACCOSCA has worked with stakeholders to promote the use of the cooperative business model as a driver of economic growth and national development.
We strengthened our leadership role across the continent.
Following our revitalization program at the Malawi General Assembly in 2007, we strengthened our leadership role across the continent. We have since advanced financial inclusion in local communities through international advocacy, policy engagement, and technical cooperation.
During this period, ACCOSCA has provided leadership in promoting regulatory frameworks, creating awareness about the importance of inclusivity, and supporting innovative initiatives aimed at improving service to members. Through sustained engagement, professionalism, and research, the cooperative sector has experienced notable growth across key indicators.
ACCOSCA continues to build strong networks within the financial cooperative sector and foster collaboration with like-minded institutions to expand and deepen financial inclusion, strengthen cooperative institutions, and elevate the voice of Africa’s cooperative movement.
Why Cooperative Finance Matters
Cooperative financial institutions, often referred to as SACCOs (Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations) across much of Africa, are uniquely positioned to drive inclusive, community-led economic growth.
By strengthening cooperative finance, we help strengthen Africa.
Owned by their members and rooted in local communities, SACCOs help families build financial security, support entrepreneurs, strengthen local economies, and expand access to financial services where traditional systems often fall short.
They serve as strategic partners in advancing Africa’s development aspirations, the African Union Agenda 2063, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Through strategic leadership, capacity building, and global partnerships, ACCOSCA shapes the future of Africa’s SACCOs, empowering them to become engines of community prosperity.
