The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has ordered the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) to immediately suspend the implementation of the new charges on courier and logistics companies.
Okay.ng understands that this is coming following outrage by Nigerians via #SayNoToNipostFee on social media.
Pantami called on NIPOST to put a hold on the implementation of the new rates.
“Please NIPOST, our attention has been drawn to an increase of licence fee, which was not part of the regulation I earlier approved for you. Your chairman and PMG (Postmaster-General) were yesterday contacted to put the implementation on hold and send a report to our ministry by Monday. Best wishes!” the minister tweeted on Saturday.
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.
