Minister Urges e-Commerce Operators to Use NIPOST’s 1500 Centres for Growth

• Minister Urges e-Commerce Operators to Use NIPOST’s 1500 Centres for Growth

Minister of Communications, Barr Adebayo Shittu has advised e-commerce operators to leverage on the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) 1, 500 centres for growth.Shittu said the centres, which are scattered across the nation would undergo some reforms that will benefit people in the rural areas, which were hitherto not financially included.

Speaking at the Investiture/Book Presentation organised by Courier and Logistics Management Institute (CLMI), Shittu said NIPOST reform will get to the grassroots and enhance commercialisation.

“Most Nigerians live in the rural areas where they are not financially included. We are now reforming and repositioning NIPOST to introduce businesses that will affect the ordinary Nigerians.

“We will now have five new companies, on insurance, property, e-commerce, government and logistics. These will involve the rural areas to benefit what they don’t benefit from today. New businesses will emerge and more jobs created. I am happy that NIPOST will be able to play a central role in the evolution of this profession,” he added.

Commending the book written by Chairman of the Institute, he said it would improve professionalism and serve as guidance for students and practitioners, as well as further have an impact on everyone’s life.He noted that the institute, which is first of its kind, has done well by putting up such an initiative aimed at bridging the knowledge gap in the Logistics sector”

While delivering his keynote, Shittu applauded the Institute for providing leadership amongst organisations that constitute the Nigerian Postal Service System Ecosystem.

“I must at this point commend the promoters of this Institute, as the Institute will not only promote professionalism and train manpower for the industry but will also breed entrepreneurs who will create jobs for Nigerians.

Chairman of the Institute, Dr. Simon Emeje said the unique field has four dimensions; Logistics, Courier, Transport and Management, that govern all aspects of human life and is undoubtedly connected to human activity.“The Institute is the first of its kind in the whole world, with focus on courier, logistics, transport and management. There is no institute of this magnitude across the globe that combines the four key areas. The closest is on logistics and transport. We are here to fill that gap.

“We are collaborating with Universities because our license does not permit us to award Degree/HND certificates. However, we can run professional programmes,” he said.He added that, so far, in liaising with the universities, CLMI has developed a curriculum from first year to the fifth year for the undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the field, adding that economic prospects in the industry are many.

“World over, every human being is covered by these four areas- Courier, Logistics, Management and Transport (CLMI). Most times, people are not conscious of the operations in these areas. We are trying to ignite that in Nigerians. So, we want people to know these are areas you can professionalise; that is, you are made to do things better”, he said.