Piqued by challenges ranging from regulatory, operational to managerial, the dearth rate of companies in the Nigerian courier sector stands at 12.5% per annum, according to information available to the Nigeria CommunicationsWeek.
The total number of licenced operators by the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) as at December 2014 is 374, whereas Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that only 80 of them are functioning optimally, bringing the exit rate to 79% in the last 30 years.
The dwindling trend in the sector was attributed to, but not limited to, lack of due regulation channel and absence of proper regulation; inimical activities of local government employees on Nigerian roads; misunderstanding of courier operators importance and schedule by the law enforcement agents and ultimately, non-recognition of the viability of the sector by the Federal Government.
Speaking in Lagos on the appalling state of the industry, Mr. Siyanbola Oladapo, president, Association of Nigeria Courier Operators (ANCO), said that the demand for reforms in the postal sub-sector has been recurring dismal in Nigeria’s policy formulation.
Oladapo recalled that the Department of Post and Telecommunication (P&T) was split during the regime of General Muhammed Buhari (rtd.) in 1985 (now President-elect). From the spilt emerged the Nigeria Telecommunications (NITEL) and the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST).
“Since the spilt, the telecoms sector has undergone several reforms cumulating in the tremendous investment and success especially with the advent of GSM. Although, NITEL has been comatose since then, however is it remarkable that the boost in the telecoms could not have been possible without the role of Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).
“It is therefore regrettable that NIPOST and indeed, the entire postal sector have remained without noticeable reforms since its split from P&T”.
The ANCO President attribute the sorry state of the sector to the “non-reform in NIPOST” which he said, “has therefore negatively affected the Postal Sector including private courier companies. Instead of the Federal Government to create a neutral body to regulate the Postal Sector as it did for the telecoms, a department was carved out of NIPOST to regulate the private operators.
“Courier Regulatory Department (CRD) being a unit of NIPOST, not independent, so does not have the necessary Executive and Legislative powers to regulate, transform, and protect the Postal Sector,” he said.
Oladapo also sent a ‘Save Our Soul’ (SoS) message to President Muhammedu Buhari, to continue and complete the reform he started in the P&T 30 years ago as demand for the creation of a Postal and Courier Regulatory Commission (PCRC) had been made by body of private courier operators since the First Courier Summit held in 11 years ago.
Also, Mr. Okey Uba, ANCO’s secretary general bemoaned the lukewarm attitude in the Government quarters towards the plight of the sector adding that a Postal Commission Bill was sent to the 6th and 7th national Assembly for debate and passage through the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), but none could scale through.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government sponsored an Executive Bill in that regards never materalised before the tenure of 7th NASS expired in June 2015.
ANCO said that the imperative for the passage of the Bill falls in line with the Universal Postal Union (UPU’s) recent drives on global reform of the postal sector.
Oladapo said that UPU (of which Nigeria is a signatory), has urged member countries to adhere strictly to this directive.
“We believe that with the passage of the P&C services Regulations Bill, a proper regulatory body shall be established for the sector”, he said.
Nodding in agreement, Mrs Lara Okuneye, vice president (ANCO), said that from the Political point of view, the newly inaugurated government should not ditch the achievements recorded by the outgoing government rather push for the passage of the Bill.
According to her, this is an industry that all involved will benefit, with immediate impacts like job creation, and contribution to the gross domestic products (GDP).
Also, Toyin Adeojo, publicity secretary of ANCO, said that States and Local Governments share in the blame, as their agencies are all out to ‘snuff life’ out of the existing courier operators through multi-taxations and other obnoxious charges.
He called on the new governments to convoke stakeholders’ forum for further deliberations on how to restore the dignity of the courier sector in the country.