General News
NIPOST Rues Shrinking Mail Volume, Misses Revenue Target
Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) has decried the shrinking volume of mails on daily basis adding that the case is being worsened by companies now preferring compact discs (CDs) to printed annual report, which form bulk of NIPOST’s business platform.
Mike Umo, general manager, BulkPost Venture, an arm of NIPOST told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek in Lagos that owing to present business trends the Venture has found itself, it has become extremely difficult to attain its over N700million annual revenue target.
“Although we still have few weeks to the end of 2013, but we have not achieved our revenue targets. The year, I wouldn’t say is generally bad for us, on the average it is still acceptable. The issue is that mail volume is shrinking by the day; especially when companies in the way to cut cost, they have resulted to converting Annual Reports (ARs) to compact discs (CDs). Now, reports that use to fetch us, by weight, N150:00 or N200:00 per copy have been reduced to CDs. And CDs no matter how padded it may be, it cannot by, the virtues of weight and monetary, be more than N60:00.
“Here in BulkPost Venture, we have a ratio of 60:40 that we give to courier operators. So, with 60% of N60:00 it is difficult for us to meet our targets (revenue wise). Along the line, especially when we had the heat so much, management had to look at the issues; at the same time, customers too were complaining about CDs,” the GM said.
Umo also explained that to convey a CD from one end to another, most times, leave the plates in bad condition. He said that some of the customers have complained of cracking of the CD. “So management rose to the occasion to repackage them in manner that they will arrive to the destinations in good shape. That made the management to come up with a flat rate for CDs, currently pegged at N150:00,” he said.
The management’s decision, he noted, actually cushioned the effect on the Venture’s revenue, otherwise the process really had its nosedived.
“For instance, in the BulkPost we have over N700million target. So far, we have not been able to meet the target, unless something happens before the end of the year. Be that as it may, we still thank God, because if not the management’s position the revenue would have been so down. Meanwhile, the customers are patronizing us because we have entrenched trust in the system.
“Although some of them tend to reduce the quantity of CDs they would have produced. For instance a Company with 500 shareholders may decide to 300. Invariably, the N150:00 has not made us to be on advantage hence the reduction in the number of CD copies produced still affect the revenue drive,” the BulkPost boss said.
On strategies to tackle challenges in the coming year, he said that the Venture will not relent in exploring new grounds and harnessing prospect customers. “We are considering going into direct marketing mails. And we believe that if we explore that area very well it will help us overcome most of our challenges,” he said.
He added that the Venture is organizing a Forum in Lagos on December 12 at Sheraton Hotel, where stakeholders will look at critical issues in the sector.
Dr Saeed Olorunnisola, interim Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Al-Hikmah University in Ilorin, Kwara State, has urged the federal and state governments to prohibit the use of smartphones in secondary and tertiary schools.
Olorunnisola stated that the prohibition will help students concentrate in class.
He stated this during the mission for the eradication of examination malpractice’s (MEEM) second national symposium in Osogbo, Osun State, at the weekend.
Olorunnisola expressed concern about the impact of examination malpractices on education and national development, citing social media as a major impediment to students’ concentration even in secondary schools.
“Social media is causing distraction in secondary schools. Tertiary institutions are the worst. Students don’t care any longer. Some of them are taking photo shot of notes and they will not read them. They are usually on social media.
“What we have right now is a misuse of technology and it must be taken away. We have a university that has banned their undergraduate from using mobile phones,” he said.
Speaking on the need for government to act and assist young learners to concentrate in class, the don said ban on the use of smartphones by a particular university that he did not disclose eventually assisted its students to concentrate more in class.
In his remarks, Prof Buniyameen Abdulkareem, chairman of the MEEM Board of Trustees, stated that the group, a non-governmental organisation founded by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria B-Zone, organised the symposium for policymakers, students, and teachers after realising the need to stem the tide of rising examination malpractices in the country.
General News
Amid Rising Investor Confidence in Nigeria, Woodhall Capital Foundation Trains Captains of Industry
As business confidence in Nigeria rose to the highest level in 14 months signalling a rising demand for their goods and services, Woodhall Capital International Foundation (WCIF), a subsidiary of Woodhall Capital, a leading financial advisory firm, in partnership with Mentor Intro Africa, a premier platform for connecting with the world’s foremost mentors, has commenced the training of a new generation of Captains of Industry through an ongoing 6-week intensive mentorship programme.
Speaking about the programme which commenced with forty shortlisted mentees on Friday March 5 at EbonyLive Studios, Victoria Island, Lagos, the President of Woodhall Capital, Mrs. Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu, noted, “We are very excited to bring together 40 Captains of Industry and share ideas and visions on how to build sustainable businesses in Nigeria.
It’s been a wholesome experience from 9am to 3pm. It’s so heartwarming to have found Captains of Industry who are indigenous to Africa and others who are going global. We shared ideas on how exactly we can accomplish these, the peculiarities of doing business in Nigeria, and the possibilities of Africans building offices around the world. That’s what we have started on Friday.”
Reinforcing what the partnership means to her, the Founder of Mentor Intro Africa, Mrs. Fola Niyi-Duale, remarked, “What we set out to do is to bridge the gap between career professionals and those who have already walked the path.
“It means we created a structured virtual platform where experienced industry leaders can guide, support, and inspire professionals and entrepreneurs on their journey to greatness. This is big because it epitomizes impact and we’re leaving a legacy for people to see and enjoy a future that we may not even be a part of, but we have laid the foundation.”
Both partners reiterated that the mentorship is not for the optics and its impact upon completion would far-reaching.
One of the mentees, Co-founder/Chief Technical Officer, Blue Sands STEM LabsOveral, Kingsley Okechukwu, excitedly said, “I’m glad I got the opportunity to be part of this mentorship. Our first session reinforced the significance of visionary leadership, employee retention, continuous innovation, and strategic positioning in ensuring long-term business success.”
This collaboration between Mentor Intro Africa and Woodhall Capital Foundation brings together visionary leaders, seasoned professionals, and the next generation of changemakers in an empowering initiative designed to bridge mentorship with high-impact leadership.
Together, the partners aim to spotlight industry pioneers, foster meaningful dialogues, and create lasting impact across Africa’s business and professional landscape.
National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) is set to commence the implementation of its space regulation and licensing mandate following the approval of a N20 billion take-off fund by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking in an interview, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, director-general, NASRDA, emphasised that the agency’s regulatory functions, as outlined in the NASRDA Act (2010), have remained unfulfilled since its establishment in 1999.
To address this, Adepoju submitted a memorandum to President Tinubu advocating for enforcement of space regulation, leading to the recent approval of funds.
Adepoju highlighted the urgency of regulating Nigeria’s space sector to prevent misuse, particularly regarding security-sensitive activities.
The regulatory framework will oversee:
Satellite image providers
Geographic information system operators
Satellite-based telecommunications and broadcasting services
He warned that unregulated geographical data intelligence could be exploited by non-state actors, underscoring the importance of strict oversight.
NASRDA has set up a licensing platform open to public and private sector operators in the space industry.
The regulation will cover Nigeria’s three space segments:
Upstream – Deep space activities
Midstream – Satellites and orbital objects
Downstream – Ground stations and space service users
Although the agency has yet to access the N20 billion fund, Adepoju confirmed that regulatory and licensing functions have commenced.
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