The Co-operative thrift and Credit Society is now in existence in many institutions of higher learning.  Based on this, one might start to wonder what this research topic is all about, since such a programme is not a new one.

All the same, the truth remains that the existence of Co-operative, Thrift and Credit Society in our higher institutions, one side is lower than the other, badly balanced.  This is to say that its present existence concern itself with only a particular section of the institution.

Institute of higher learning presently doing this programme only operate for the benefits of academic an non-academic staff (who are interested in the movement) in these institutions.  Thrift and Credit programme for educational institutions with particular references to the students populace.  To this time, student in institutions of higher learning have been deprived of enjoying the benefits of being members of co-operative movement as much as there is the urgency of the needs to inform students with the objective of the co-operative movement.

It is important for the cause of this research project to have a knowledge of the cooperative movement, the world over and in particular, Nigeria.  This is because such knowledge and understanding gained, provides an invaluable background of the history and patterns of co-operative in different parts of the world.

In the modern form, however, the origin of co-operative, thrift and credit societies can be traced to the 19th century and to Germany.

In Germany, many of the farmers have very small area of land but by hand work and skillful farming, there was just enough to keep the farming going.  The farmers got their credit from local merchants who charged high rate from them and paid low prices for the farm produce.  The result was that the farmers were most heavily indebted and sank into poverty.