Abuja, Jan. 17, 2019 (NAN) Nigeria will on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, join the 43-member states of the Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) to celebrate the 2019 Pan African Post Day with the theme « Together, let’s diversify our offering by digitalisation. »
Mr Franklin Alao, the Corporate General Manager, Communications, Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
PAPU is a specialised agency of the African Union (AU) established on Jan. 18, 1980,
following the adoption of a resolution in Gabon in 1977 by member states to provide a unique forum
through which matters relating to postal services in Africa can be discussed in line African
experience.
Since 1986, it has been customary at the General Secretariat of PAPU and throughout
Member States to celebrate the Pan African Post Day on Jan. 18.
Among other things, the Day provides an opportunity to underscore the critical contributions
of the post in the economic socio-political, as well as attainment of national development
goals of member countries.
Alao noted that « as Nigeria joins other member countries to celebrate this Day, we will use the
occasion to highlight some modest achievements recorded by the current management of
NIPOST, led by Mr Bisi Adegbuyi, since assumption of office three years ago. »
He sais NIPOST had made efforts to reform and digitalise the postal service to meet the aspirations
of customers and the public at large.
Others, he stated, were: restructuring of the Nigerian Postal Service into seven zones for administrative
convenience and ease of decision making process for efficient service delivery and provision of over 120
power bikes to enhance last mile delivery of mails in Lagos and Abuja zones for a start.
Some othere are: products diversification and introduction of ICT-based products such as Digital
Addressing System (DAS) Address Verification System (AVS), e-commerce,
financial services, and e-money order.
Alao added that e-postage stamp, Track and Trace facility for online tracking of mail items and parcels, partnership with some banks
for financial inclusion and with Bank of Agriculture for easy access to farmers are part of the achievements of Adegbuyi.
« As we mark this year’s PAPU Day, the public is once again reassured that
NIPOST is fully committed to providing reliable, efficient and affordable postal and
related services with the aid of appropriate technology in line with best practices, » he said.