Benjamin Babine, Abuja
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on the Federal Government and National Assembly to review the dual roles of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) in the courier industry, saying it is unfair and repressive.
Its Director General, Dr Muda Yusuf, stated this in a statement, saying that a framework in which NIPOST as both a regulator and an operator was detrimental to the development of courier business in the country, and inconsistent with best practices globally.
He said the practice is not consistent with the extant competition law of Nigeria and, therefore, called on the Federal Government and National Assembly to look into it.
Speaking about the recent new courier regulations approved for NIPOST, Yusuf said that a provision in the courier regulation, that an operator should contribute two per cent of its total annual revenue to the Postal Fund for postal development in rural and underserved areas, should be removed.
He said: “We submit that this provision will put too much burden on courier and logistics businesses and make them unsustainable. These businesses are already grappling with a multitude of taxes and levies in the course of their daily operations.
“We request that this provision be expunged immediately in the interest of investments and investors in the courier and logistics sector of the economy.”
Speaking about powers given to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy in the guideline, he said: “The provision in the courier regulation, which vests the Minister with powers to compel any licensed courier and/or logistics services operator to undertake free delivery service for the purpose of Universal Postal Service Obligations/or any social service delivery in national interest needs to be reviewed.”