Outrage Among Nigerians As NIPOST Imposes New Charges On Courier And logistics Services

The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has imposed new costs of licence for logistics and courier services, sparking outrage from Nigerians online.

The new charges introduced by NIPOST are expected to cause an increase in the cost of courier services and delivery goods.

According to NIPOST, companies which provide international courier services like DHL, UPS and FEDEX, are expected to pay N20m for a new licence and N8m annually while those who offer national services are expected to pay N10m for licence and N4m yearly for renewal.

Logistics companies that operate within regions are expected to pay N5m for licence and N2m annually. For firms that operate within states, the cost of procuring a licence is N2m while the renewal costs N800, 000.

Courier firms that operate within municipalities are to pay N1m for licence and N400,000 annually. For Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), the licence is N250,000 while the annual renewal of the licence is N100,000.

The new charges imposed by NIPOST is believed to be part of an attempt to increase its revenue and sanitise the system. The move would increase the cost of goods purchased online.

The General Manager, Corporate Communications, Franklin Alao, said in a statement that the new regulations were not planned to frustrate ease of doing business rather they aimed to promote growth of MSMEs.

“It is part of the strategies to ensure effective service delivery as consumers would know the capacities of the operators they are dealing with.

“Kindly note that consumers of the courier service would be better off as this will drive charlatans out of the industry. Genuine and serious operators would come back to celebrate this move by the NIPOST,” he said.

However, many online retailers took to social media to lament the new development even as they said the government had done nothing for small businesses.

Some Nigerians are alleging that NIPOST had already started arresting dispatch riders and seizing their vehicles. See some reactions below:

If we all keep ignoring , one day we will be taxed for the air we breathe in
Nipost fee shouldn't even come to play in a period when there is pandemic and everyone is struggling to keep their lives going
Just this year , stamp fee, 6% rent fee, now Nipost fee#SayNoToNipostFee https://t.co/23iqoOB54B

— Techpreneur 👩‍💻💵 (@Ade_authority) July 24, 2020

https://twitter.com/Kassie_Usman/status/1286591611615543297?s=20

Dear @femigbaja, please block this needless policy by Nipost that will cripple thousands of small businesses. Thousands of young people have created their own jobs and are trying to just survive. This will kill thousands of #MSMEs. Please don’t let it happen. Counting on you sir. pic.twitter.com/33ucYLlVMb

— Dr Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) July 24, 2020

https://twitter.com/LeoinAbuja/status/1286766047127842816?s=20

https://twitter.com/FunkeOnafuye/status/1286671746867900416?s=20

NIPOST has just declared war on SMEs in Nigeria, sadly on the eve of the #LagosSMEbootcamp. Logistics has become a flashpoint of trade during COVID, many SMEs relying on it for transactions, & many youths who lost income elsewhere investing. What is happening is a tragedy. Thread

— Ayò-Bánkólé Akíntújoyè (@AyoBankole) July 24, 2020

Nipost that was never functional, startups came up with models that are working but the government wants to be unfortunate.
I detest this govt with passion! https://t.co/uCDBZS1gs5

— T’s 💭 (@ijkmnol) July 24, 2020

If NIPOST was working effectively and serving the needs of the everyday Nigerian, would there be a need for the plenty logistics companies? I've said it before, most of the policies developed in this country are meant to kill business owners and the masses in general.

— Slimfit (@iSlimfit) July 24, 2020

NIPOST is collecting 1 million Naira from small logistics businesses?

How much do they make per year? Pay their riders? Service their bikes? Buy fuel? Pay Agbero on the road? Health insurance?

I have always said it! This country is not a zoo but an evil forest!

— Rinu Oduala 🔥🔫 (@SavvyRinu) July 24, 2020

You don't have to run a logistics company for this NIPOST fee to affect you.

From the vendor to the customer..it will touch all of us!

— TheOloriHerself 🇳🇬🥰🇳🇬 (@theoloriherself) July 24, 2020

https://twitter.com/idomagirl/status/1286694877162545154?s=20

NIPOST just came out from the grave to kill the courier business that everyday Nigerians have been using to sustain themselves……and y'all gon' let it happen? 🤔

— Ferdy (@Burmese_Tyga_) July 24, 2020

Nipost didn't care about these SMEs (they still don't) but what they won't do is make life very hard for them. They waited until people brought up the idea of delivery services and now they want to reap where they did not sow? What rubbish!! And those ridiculous charges??? What?!

— Chisom aka Madam Nature’s Bounty (@Miss_magnolia20) July 24, 2020

https://twitter.com/akeula_trendy/status/1286764895904632834?s=20

NIPOST is asking SMEs that want to operate within Lagos to pay N2,000,000 and then N800,000 annually. I am confident that NIPOST did not use any data or logical reasoning to arrive at this pricing. It points solely to a libidinal urge for more money, which again will be siphoned. pic.twitter.com/KCdemAEzfj

— Ayò-Bánkólé Akíntújoyè (@AyoBankole) July 24, 2020

First it was, 6% stamp duty on rents, now an outrageous NIPOST licence fee for logistics companies.

Within a space of one week, two harsh policies have been proposed. This is coming at a period when the government should be looking at making life easier for people.

— Slimfit (@iSlimfit) July 24, 2020

This is coming barely 24 hours after the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) directed landlords and property owners and agents to ensure that they charge 6% stamp duty on all tenant in Nigeria.