The federal government yesterday reinstated its commitment to shore up its revenue base to N200 billion annually through the introduction of new services and products to be driven by the newly reformed Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).
The Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, made the disclosure in Abuja at the World Post Day and the launch of the various new NIPOST products and services.
He said with 1,500 NIPOST facilities spread across the 774 local governments in the country, the agency was better placed to make more money from e-commerce than the traditional commercial banks and courier operators.
According to him, the new NIPOST would begin transport/haulage services which would afford manufacturers, industrialists and individuals the opportunities to move their goods all over the country and abroad.
Shittu, added that said some old NIPOST facilities would be converted to malls and rent out to business men and women, adding that this is a veritable platform for job creation.
The Post Master General of NIPOST Barrister Bisi Adegbuyi, while also speaking expressed confidence that the the postal agency would now be generating more than a billion naira daily with its innovative products.
According to him, NIPOST current management had decided to change the narrative about the agency with new products.
He said: “The journey of NIPOST’S transformation has just begun. We have bright future ahead. We see billions of naira being generated daily by NIPOST.
“This product launch today reaffirms our stance to adopt the multi-activity business model with operations in financial sector, Insurance, real estate and e commerce.
This effort he added requires strong collaboration with the private sector whose investment capital and expertise cannot be over emphasized.
“This model is what this year’s global top three in the postal industry (Switzerland, France and Japan) and the regional champions (Brazil, Mauritius, Poland, Singapore and UAE have adopted. Some other African countries like Morocco and Tunisia have already joined the league.
“We are indeed getting back on track as we are reinventing ourselves, embracing digitization, redefining our value proposition and developing new products and services. In this regard, we require the strong political support that we are already getting from the Federal Government. I can assure you that in no distant future we shall be number one on the African chart.”
He stressed that there is much to be gained from this transformation,adding there will be more satisfied customers, stronger postal market and network.
As we strive to meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, the CEO said: “We should not forget that the postal infrastructure is an enabler of inclusive development and a key platform for delivering public services pivotal to the attainment of the SDGs”