Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST ) on Wednesday, signed an agreement with e-Gate Egypt over digital transformation of logistics and last-mile delivery chain, other services.
Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi, postmaster-general of the federation and CEO, NIPOST, said the collaboration will boost jobs creation in Nigeria.
Essam Alsaghir, chief executive officer of e-Gate, visited NIPOST’s headquarters in Abuja where he explained the significance of the agreement.
He said that digital transformation is fundamentally changing the way postal services operate and deliver value to customers globally.
He noted that the partnership will help digitally transform the services of NIPOST to meet customer’s expectations.
He disclosed that when the agreement is implemented, the entire last mile delivery will be automated using Driver Mobile Application and the customers will be able to track communication with drivers, monitor their delivery through mobile Apps.
He further revealed that the development is aimed at outsourcing and creating job opportunity to Nigerians.
According to him, “e-Gates platform will digitally be used to transform all logistics operations and last-mile delivery of NIPOST.
“Our partnership with NIPOST will provide our customers with new technology and mobile App for a secured, easy, faster way to reach their clients not only for postal services but other transactions.
“I think this is a very important transformation of NIPOST to transform the entire process. To meet customer expectations, now customers with the new technology and mobile apps can now track everything and order online.
“This will generate a lot of opportunities for citizens. We don’t call it like a job or employment, it is an income generating opportunity, where citizen vehicles will be used. Now every citizen with a vehicle will be a potential Courier Agent for the Pos and private business. And this will give us a reach to a footprint of the country and to provide better service for the customers and for the government as well,” he said.
On his part, the Postmaster-General/CEO said the initiative is a milestone and a great achievement for NIPOST.
He noted that the partnership will help address infrastructural gap in NIPOST.
The PMG said NIPOST is taking advantage of agreement to enhance its capacity in last-mile delivery and to do more in terms of enhancing the quality of services.
Dr. Adewusi explained that the collaboration will be an intrinsic value proposition towards the expansion and growth of the e-commerce sub-sector in Nigeria and it is in conformity with the digital economic initiative-of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He said, “Well, today is a very important milestone that we have accomplished by the signing of this agreement. He said both parties have followed through the process in the past six months leading to the agreement.
“Because digital transformation of the post implies that from end to end, the customer can track the movement of his mails and his parcels. And I think it’s one area that we’ve really lacked some form of competitive edge. But with the signing of this agreement, I think we have come full circle to addressing this major infrastructure issue.
“And of course, this will also assist us in contributing to the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of lifting 100 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years.
“This is because with this newly signed agreement, we’re going to be able to engage several hundreds of thousands of youths who are otherwise not gainfully employed, and by so doing contribute employments in our country.”
The framework for the agreement is aimed at allowing Pan African Postal Union (PAPU), stakeholders to explore and execute business opportunities for registered communication and digital postal services.
