- A former Kenyan cooperative leader has received continental recognition for his service.
- ACCOSCA has honoured four Africa Development Educators for their leadership and institutional contributions.
- The awards spotlight efforts to strengthen cooperative institutions and inspire future leaders across Africa.
Former Principal Secretary for Cooperatives Ali Noor Ismail has received a continental award for his contribution to Africa’s cooperative movement.
Mr Ismail was presented with the Lifetime Visionary Leader Award on October 21, 2026. The African Confederation of Cooperative Savings and Credit Associations (ACCOSCA) announced the recognition in connection with the 26th SACCA Congress in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The award celebrates his leadership and service in Kenya’s cooperative sector, where he served as Principal Secretary in the State Department for Cooperatives. He is currently the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Pest Control Products Board.
He was among four Africa Development Educators (ADEs) recognised for their leadership, institutional development and efforts to strengthen cooperative institutions across the continent. Mr Ismail shared the Lifetime Visionary Leader Award with Cambridge Mdlalose, a former Board Chairperson of the Eswatini Association of Savings and Credit Cooperatives and of ACCOSCA.
Two other leaders received the Visionary Leaders Award. They are Nissan Mnyone, Chief Executive Officer of the Savings and Credit Cooperative Union League of Tanzania (SCCULT 1992 Ltd), and Kefilwe Masalila, Chief Executive Officer of the Botswana Savings and Credit Cooperative Association (BOSCCA).
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These inaugural awards honour individuals whose work has advanced the cooperative movement, strengthened institutions and inspired future leaders through the Africa Development Educators programme.
According to ACCOSCA, the honourees embody a leadership philosophy that measures success by more than the institutions built or strengthened. It also counts the lives transformed, the leaders mentored and the legacies established.
The recognition comes at a time when savings and credit cooperative organisations (Saccos) remain important in widening access to savings and affordable credit across Africa.
In Kenya, Saccos play a significant role in mobilising savings, providing credit to members and supporting personal and business financial needs. Effective leadership and sound governance, therefore, remain essential to maintaining members’ confidence and ensuring these institutions last.
Through the Visionary Leaders Awards, ACCOSCA has put the spotlight on individuals whose service continues to influence the growth of the cooperative sector. The organisation congratulated the four recipients, noting that their contributions have strengthened the movement and inspired its future direction.
By Lizzy Aluga
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