The opening of the Cooperative Bank (Coop Bank) branch in Kagera Region is expected to widen access to affordable financing for farmers, livestock keepers, fishers and cooperative societies as the Government pushes for greater value addition and commercialisation of the productive sectors.
Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Bashiru Ally Kakurwa, officially launched the branch in Bukoba Municipality on August 18, 2026, making it the bank’s seventh branch countrywide and its first outlet in the Lake Zone.
The other branches are located in Mtwara, Tandahimba, Dodoma, Dar es Salaam, Moshi and Tabora.
Dr Bashiru said cooperatives remained an important platform for mobilising capital, expanding production and helping ordinary citizens participate in economic activities.
He said the establishment of the Kagera branch should go beyond providing banking services and instead contribute to revitalising the cooperative movement in a region where cooperative societies have historically played a major role in the economy.
“In today’s world, you cannot make progress without working together. Coop Bank should help revive cooperatives, including in Kagera, where the economy depends heavily on cooperative societies,” he said.
He also urged young people and women to join or establish cooperatives, saying collective organisation could improve their ability to access credit and invest in productive activities.
The minister challenged cooperatives to move beyond selling raw products and put greater emphasis on value addition in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, mining and other natural-resource-based activities.
According to Dr Bashiru, processing and adding value to products could increase earnings for producers while creating employment and strengthening household incomes.
He further called on Coop Bank to develop financing products tailored to the realities of farmers, livestock keepers, fishers and other players in the value chain.
The minister said loan conditions should reflect borrowers’ ability to repay while ensuring that productive groups can obtain financing without being locked out by unsuitable lending requirements.
Coop Bank Managing Director Godfrey Ng’urah said the bank had disbursed more than TZS 76 billion during the first quarter of 2026.
He said about 60 percent of the financing went to cooperative societies, supporting value addition, agricultural equipment, farm inputs and access to markets for agricultural produce.
Of the funds, TZS 6 billion was channelled to the livestock and fisheries sectors.
Mr Ng’urah said TZS 5 billion supported cage fish farming, while more than TZS 2 billion was provided for milk value addition and animal feed-related activities.
The bank is targeting to reach 10 million customers by 2030, with digital services expected to be central to expanding its reach.
Kagera Regional Commissioner, Colonel Yahya Ramadhani Kiddo, said the region had favourable conditions for investment and business.
He said the new branch was expected to bring financial services closer to stakeholders in agriculture, livestock and fisheries, while creating opportunities for businesses and cooperatives to expand.
Juhudi Amcos chairman Donald Emmanuel said the cooperative had already benefited from Coop Bank financing.
He said the cooperative received TZS 1.5 billion in 2025 to finance coffee collection and secured TZS 5 billion in 2026, with 75 percent of the latter amount already paid to farmers.
The expansion of Coop Bank’s branch network comes at a time when access to affordable capital remains critical to enabling small producers to invest, increase production and participate more effectively in value chains.
For Kagera, the new branch could provide an important link between cooperative societies and formal financial services, particularly if lending is matched with the needs and cash-flow cycles of farmers, livestock keepers and fishers.
