The decision of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) to introduce costs of licence for logistics and courier services has sparked outrage from a large section of Nigerians across social media platforms.
The new charges introduced by NIPOST are expected to cause an increase in the cost of courier services and goods.
Read Also: Outcry As NIPOST Imposes New Charges On Courier Services
According to the new charges by 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 offering national services are expected to pay N10m for licence and N4m yearly for renewal.
Logistics companies operating within regions are expected to pay N5m for licence and N2m annually.
For firms operating within states, the cost of procuring a licence is N2m while 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, the licence is N250,000 while the annual renewal of the licence is N100,000. Such small courier firms have less than five delivery vehicles.
Due to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many firms are now operating their businesses exclusively online, depending on courier and logistics companies to deliver goods to their customers.
The practice is most common in Lagos, Oyo states and Abuja.
However, many business owners, online shoppers and other aggrieved Nigerians have called out NIPOST for the ‘outrageous’ charges.
They have taken to social media to lament the new development and an online petition demanding a reversal on NIPOST’s decision has been set up.
See some reactions from Twitter below;
We can’t keep being quiet. Lend your voice by signing this petition. Say No To NIPOST Fee – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/r0qH3ApDWR via @Change#SayNoToNipostFee
— AUNTY ADA (@AuntyAdaa) July 25, 2020
Vendors
Customers
Clients
Sellers
Consumers
Logistics companies
Private dispatch Riders. #SayNoToNipostFee #NOTONIPOSTFEE is not trending yet. Lend a voice y’all . We are all gonna feel this heat. Please lend a voice. This is outrageous. pic.twitter.com/PTgghqRzKZ— Aduke omo williams (@yemisi_williams) July 25, 2020
I didn’t quit my 8-6 to become a full time entrepreneur and a hustler for Nipost to frustrate my business.
A graduate of mass communication but now a full time entrepreneur.
I won’t be forced to the street or beg to feed. #SayNoToNipostFee pic.twitter.com/ndx5qkRiNy— anita_vams (@a__vanita) July 25, 2020
NIPOST should not be allowed to charge these ridiculous fees, @femigbaja. Thousands of young Nigerians have lost jobs in the last few months. Some turned to courier services. A friend who lost his job bought these from Oride. Please don’t let him commit suicide. #SayNoToNipostFee pic.twitter.com/p9j3Jz5BVl
— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) July 25, 2020
Young lazy Nigerians gathered their savings, borrowed money from family and friends to start logistics business but the government once again wants to frustrate them💔
The price of bad leadership is very expensive. Nigerians need to collectively #SayNoToNipostFee pic.twitter.com/FTFfY4PmoI
— Elder Seun (@iamseunalaofin) July 25, 2020
NIPOST has the audacity to ask for business plans as regulatory documents. Lmaoooooo. So that they will use everything for their own business. How can people be so wicked.
When it’s not that they’re giving loans. #SayNoToNipostFee
— JAYNE ELLIS 🌼🌼 (@_DammyB_) July 25, 2020
SMEs are trying so hard to survive and from nowhere they are hit with an outrageous fee. If they can’t meet up, they will be thrown into unemployment. This is actually very sad.. #SayNoToNipostFee @NipostNgn pic.twitter.com/6QTk7FOn3m
— AUNTY ADA (@AuntyAdaa) July 25, 2020
We lost our jobs to corona, some are battling with depression(i was at some point), we took the courage to start our small businesses, we are not asking for much, if you cannot provide jobs for us, pls don’t take our only means of livelihood because of taxes #SayNoToNipostFee pic.twitter.com/KP7MlOY0Xm
— Smart Wrist by Classik (@iam_Rashclassik) July 25, 2020
How much does the average logistics business make per month with a bike or two? Yet you’re requesting them to pay one million naira for a license!
How much does the online vendor make per day?
You’ll stifle many businesses struggling to survive#SayNoToNipostFee
— Aproko Doctor (@aproko_doctor) July 25, 2020
If NIPOST was doing its job in the first place, we wont need dispatch riders.
If the government were going their job in the first place, people wont need to be dispatch riders to survive.
They should be ashamed instead of imposing fees.#SayNoToNipostFee
— SON of 2 gods🦋 (@OGCarterMillz) July 25, 2020
If Nipost was efficient
We won’t have to use dispatch riders.
But the govt has seen a thriving business and is now looking for a way to eat from where no concern them #SayNoToNipostFee
— Cinderella Man (@Osi_Suave) July 25, 2020
No job, No business loan, No assistance whatsoever, they systematically cut off all resemblance of light in the nation with the world’s largest population of capable manpower. The government is barbaric. #SayNoToNipostFee pic.twitter.com/TQ6G98OKOy
— Vizor Richard (@VizorRichard) July 25, 2020
