The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has imposed new costs of licence for logistics and courier services, sparking outrage from Nigerians online.
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.
Courier firms that operate within municipalities are to pay N1m for licence and N400,000 annually. For Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), the licence is N250,000 while the annual renewal of the licence is N100,000.
The new charges imposed by NIPOST is believed to be part of an attempt to increase its revenue and sanitise the system. The move would increase the cost of goods purchased online.
The General Manager, Corporate Communications, Franklin Alao, said in a statement that the new regulations were not planned to frustrate ease of doing business rather they aimed to promote growth of MSMEs.
“it is part of the strategies to ensure effective service delivery as consumers would know the capacities of the operators they are dealing with. Kindly note that consumers of the courier service would be better off as this will drive charlatans out of the industry. Genuine and serious operators would come back to celebrate this move by the NIPOST,” he said.
However, many online retailers took to social media to lament the new development even as they said the government had done nothing for small businesses.
For instance, Dr. Joe Abbah through his Twitter handle:@joeabbah said;”At a time when govts all around the world (including Nigerian state govts) are reducing taxes, granting tax holidays and helping out small businesses, the Federal Government has enforced Stamp Duty and NIPOST Courier Licence fee? I don’t get it”
Another Consumer said through his Twitter handle: @ade_authority that; “if we all keep ignoring , one day we will be taxed for the air we breathe in Nigeria.
Nipost fee shouldn’t even come to play in a period when there is pandemic and everyone is struggling to keep their lives going
Just this year , stamp fee, 6% rent fee, now Nipost fee
#SayNoToNipostFee”
