FG Unbundles NIPOST for Profitability, Job Creation

Emma Okonji

The federal government, through the Ministry of Communications has restructured the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), through a strategic unbundling process that will enable NIPOST to be driven by five new companies, providing new services for new streams of revenue generation and job creation.

The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu who made the disclosure at the 2018 Nigeria Mobile Economy Summit and Expo (NiMES), which held in Lagos recently, said the move became necessary, owing to the widespread branches of NIPOST across the country, which he said, was an avenue and opportunity to introduce new digital services in NIPOST that would better serve the Nigerian populace and also generate new streams of income for government.

Adebayo, listed the new companies that would create jobs and drive profitability for NIPOST to include: NIPOST Banking and Insurance Company; NIPOST Property and Development Company; NIPOST Transport and Logistics Company; NIPOST eGovernment Services Company and NIPOST e-Commerce Services Company.
He said the unbundling process had been completed and in the next few months, the drivers of the new companies would be announced.

“The Ministry is also ensuring Information Technology (IT) Compliance among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government and effecting a high level of professionalism in the industry.

“NIPOST is being restructured and commercialised, it is now customer-centric and market- driven. By God’s grace, NIPOST in a few months’ time, will have five new companies to provide new services for the generality of Nigerians, create hundreds of new jobs and open new streams of revenue for government,” Shittu said.

According to him, as one of the fastest growing markets for mobile technology and trends in Africa, the government would create affordable and reliable access to ICT services and infrastructure development through her various plans and initiatives.

“We at the Federal Ministry of Communications strongly believe that Nigeria cannot have any meaningful development without a commensurate level of development in mobile economy and technology.

“We as a nation must begin to see the development and use of mobile technology applications and tools as prerequisites to speedy national development,” Shittu added.

The Convener of NiMES 2018, Dr. Bayero Agabi, said with well over 198 million lines today, up from 400,000 working lines in 2001, with many innovations coming to play, including online enterprises, Nigeria had become not only a development hub but also a huge and thriving mobile hub, which has caused the impact of mobile technology to be felt in all aspects of human life.

“For many consumers across Nigeria, the mobile phone is not just a communication device but also the primary channel to get online, as well as a vital tool to access various life-enhancing services. Mobile adoption in Nigeria has grown rapidly in recent years. Access to mobile connectivity is vital to empowering consumers and driving economic growth,” Agabi said.