Courier Sector in 2008

There is recorded increase in the number of courier companies operating in the country in 2008. As at the last count, the number had increased to 237. The sector also recorded increase in volume of activities as private courier firms have diversified into other areas such as logistics, haulage and international business apart from their traditional mail delivery that has to some extent been affected by forces of globalization. But no matter how burgeoning the sector may look, Dr Simon Emeje, the Courier Regulatory Department helmsman has posited that we are still scratching the surface in terms of exploiting the abundant opportunities the sector can offer. He said only paltry 20 percent of the sector is at present being exploited. In the light of underutilizing the sector, there have been serious demands from well meaning Nigerians for an independent commission for the postal and courier sector having considered the predicament the present regulator, CRD, an organ of Nipost is facing. The department does not have the fund and the manpower to execute the job of an umpire for the industry.
 All expectations were that before the end of this year government would have pronounced and constituted the commission.   This development has further deprived the sector of the needed fervor that would have ignited the real transformation of the postal and courier sector. However all hope is not lost that government may reconsider the implication of not constituting the commission this year and facilitate action on it possibly for it to see the light of the day in the first quarter of next year. Inadequate regulation of the sector has caused Nigeria several millions of dollars investments, income that would have accrued to the government coffers, employment opportunity for teeming population of our youths and growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
For the operators in the sector, this year has been that of mixed feelings as some of the big and upcoming players in the industry recorded some level of progress but some other courier companies battled to keep afloat amidst  stiff competition in the industry coupled with operational bottlenecks existing as result of neglect by the federal government to address urgently the general infrastructure problem pervading the economy. Many courier companies just like other companies in other sectors of the economy would have upped profit made in the year, but for the almost non-existent basic infrastructure in the country.
The energy situation in the country has refused to improve. The condition of our roads is pitiable just as security of lives and property is entrusted in the hands of God as security operatives seem to have surrendered to the superior   firepower of men of the underworld. Many courier companies recorded attacks and incurred losses running into millions of naira from hoodlums during the year.  The rising incidence of insecurity has also resulted that transit times of most courier companies have been cut short as most of them have cancelled moving their documents and logistics at night for fear of attack by armed robbers.
The Courier Regulatory Department within the year tried to minimize the activities of the illegal courier operators by embarking on clampdown on some of the fake operators in Lagos and Abuja. As at the last raid, about 70 fake courier operators have been arrested since the department was created, according to Emeje.
To improve capacity building in the industry, CRD also organized seminars for stakeholders in the industry and the experiences of such brainstorming exercises have been rewarding.  A book on Courier Development in Nigeria was also made possible by Andrew Ebiloma of the department. Even as the department made efforts to move the industry forward, the issue of local government officials is one that has defied solution and approach used by the Courier Regulatory Department and associations of the courier practitioners.  It is really a pity that some people will take the laws into their hands and government refuses to address the issue.. As we welcome 2009, it is hoped that some of these basic problems affecting the sector will be addressed by the government.