Illegal courier operators are flourishing with an estimated N6 billion tax free earnings annually, a special Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigation has shown.
The scale of activities of the unregistered courier operators’ underscores the extremely lucrative nature of the illegitimate trade and the need for tighter regulation and protection of the industry.
Unlawful and as dangerous, their activities have led to price undercutting, reduced the confidence in courier operations, increased incidence of mail dumping, touting among other activities.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigations also showed that the quack operators do not have any fixed address, thereby making it almost impossible to track them down.
Dr Simon Emeje, senior post master general and head, Courier Regulatory Department (CRD) of Nigerian Postal Service (Nipost) described the development as disturbing.
The Courier Regulatory Department is a specialized arm of the Nipost saddled with the responsibility of ensuring a sustainable development of the courier industry.
To practice courier business legitimately, an applicant is expected to fulfill certain conditions including the payment of one hundred million naira registration and licensing fee to the Nipost.
But instead of paying this sum and fulfilling other conditions, some people decide to cut corners and operate illegally.
Emeje said that some of them have become faceless or portfolio operators moving from one office to another, asking for jobs to execute; adding that as illegal operators develop new strategies, his department also re-strategize.
Last week, that strategy paid off as CRD clamped down on two illegal courier operators, Okeyson investments Services Limited (Transport Dimension) with office at 13, Ikorodu Road, Jibowu, Lagos and Whiteland, a group of companies that also operate as Whiteland Logistics Limited, located at 3,5 &7 Kakawa Street, Lagos.
Their offices were sealed and documents showing they operated courier and logistics, recovered from them.
Also, four licenses were revoked by the CRD as a result of the licensees’ inability to renew them and for other unethical practices.
The companies affected were CGL Courier, Blue Chip Express, Joe Eboje international, and Darib Freight Services.
