TheCable

The courier regulatory department (CRD) of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has revoked the operational licence of Associated Bus Company (ABC) Transport and thirteen other courier companies.

Simon Emeje, senior assistant post-master general of NIPOST, told journalists in Lagos that the operational licences were revoked for non-renewal for the period of four years running.

He listed the remaining companies as Arrowhead Courier Ltd., Evergreen Worldwide, Imo Transport Company Ltd. and MDS Logistics Ltd.

Others are Migfo Express Courier Ltd, Montesine Ltd., Nacfa Express Ltd., Quadral Express Ltd. and Tide Express Link Ltd.

Royal Ryders Express, Success Transport and Kwara Express, all located at Muritala Muhammed Road, in the Challenge area of Ilorin and Kasmag Express in Ijora, Lagos.

“The 10 courier operators hereby seize to operate courier business in the country because of their involvement in unethical practice, which the regulatory body frowns at,” he said.

“The general public should take note of this and desist from doing courier business with the listed companies in the country.”

He said that customers, who still do business after the revocation order were doing it at their risks because CRD’s surveillance team could visit the operators at any time and all items found in their offices would be confiscated.

He added that if the courier companies continued to operate, the department would proceed to prosecute them.

Emeje explained that the renewal of licence cost N350, 000 per annum for a domestic courier operator, N500, 000 for indigenous international operator and N1.5 million for an international operator.

“By law, a courier operator who refuses to renew his or her licence, is as good as operating without licence and this is tantamount to unethical practice, because they know the law but refuse to abide by it,” he said.

He described the clampdown as a national assignment essential for the sanity of the courier sub-sector, adding that it is the mandate of CRD to provide a level playing ground for the sector to thrive.

“We went on the exercise because we identified illegal courier operators who operate without licence,” he said.

“There is this aspect of online businesses that are forcefully coming into play and engaging in courier services without licence.

“’The recent development in the courier sub-sector is that there is a diversification of business into the online services, hence, the need for registration.”

Emeje said the sub-sector needs to be sanitised in the interest of investors.

He regretted that though the sector is very viable, only 20 per cent of the market had been tapped.

”We are saying this to encourage investors both national and international to tap into the industry,” he said.

Eneje said that the licence fee for the international was N10 million, the indigenous international was N10 million, while the domestic was N2 million.