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UPU and Postal Development
Universal Postal Union with membership of 191 countries is a specialized agency of the United Nations which fulfils an advisory, mediating and liaison role and renders assistance where necessary. The body sets the rules for international mail exchanges and makes recommendations to stimulate growth in mail volumes and to improve the quality of services for customers. The UPU’s objective is to develop special, cultural and commercial communication between people through the efficient operation of the postal service.
The UPU in order to discharge its duties very well is divided into bodies that are assigned with specific functions. The congress is the highest body of the union and it brings together all countries to a meeting every five years. The major achievement of the congress is allowing member countries to develop and integrate new products and services from the international postal network.
There is also the council of administration consisting of a chairman and forty member countries and it ensures the continuity of UPU activities between the congresses, even as it also interfaces in regulatory, legislative and legal issues making sure that things are working in order.
The postal operations council of the UPU is the technical and operational body that deals with operational and commercial aspects of international postal service while the international bureau is another organ of the UPU that serves as a liaison, information and consultation for postal administration.
The Universal Postal Union established in 1874 has helped so many member countries including Nigeria to develop their postal systems. It would be recalled that the world postal body gave a grant to Nipost which was used to purchase additional fleet of vehicles to boost Nipost’s operations. UPU has helped in the advancement of postal economies in the less developed and developing countries looking at practices in the developed countries as benchmark. New trends in technology and administration are shared by the body to member countries. Through its conferences, postal heads of various countries are gathered to brainstorm and learn new developments in the industry and other issues that affect the free flow, growth and development of international mail, trade and commerce are resolved.
With its headquarters in Berne, Switzerland and as a non political organization, UPU does not interfere in issues that are within the purview of national postal services. Its primary focus is for cooperation among postal sector players and it helps to ensure a truly universal network of up-to-date products and services. During high –level debates in conventions, UPU has helped in shaping issues in the postal industry. With its Quality of Service Fund (QSF), projects aimed at improving postal service quality in developing countries are financed by the body and the results have been tremendous.
Even as UPU has been making efforts to develop postal services all around the world, it is still curious that postal awareness in Africa is still very low. In a report carried by the UPU, it was reported that the industrialized countries had 98 percent of the population benefit from home mail deliveries while only 2 percent have mails delivered through post office boxes while in Africa only 22 percent benefited from home deliveries with 60 percent only having mails delivered through post offices. 14 per cent out of this number had no access at all.
Looking at the figures, one would only but wonder what the challenges to increasing the volume of mails handled by postal countries in Africa really are. Taking Nigeria as an example, some people don’t send or receive even just a letter all the year round. Our reading culture is poor and we hardly have any room for relaxation in this part of the world as every effort is channeled to making money. Apart from the business angle to writing of letters, letter writing is a hobby whose reward is emotional satisfaction. The development of Information and Communications Technology has also affected people’s attitude towards going to the post to send letters. Postal organizations in Africa have also to sit up and be effective in mail deliveries. People are often disenchanted n writing letters when letters posted often take weeks to get to destinations or in some cases are not received at all.
Nigerian Postal Service in order to promote letter writing in the country can come up with a programme that will reward those that write and post letters.
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National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced the nationwide digital registration of births and deaths under the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) system to strengthen legal identity management and improve demographic data.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lokoja on Tuesday, Mr Afolabi Yori, federal commissioner representing Kogi, said the initiative became operational nationwide on July 1, through the VitalReg platform.
Yori described the development as a landmark in Nigeria’s civil registration system, noting that it would modernise birth and death registration through a technology-driven platform that meets international standards.
He said the digital platform would improve service delivery, strengthen data integrity and ensure that every birth and death occurring in Nigeria was accurately documented and securely stored.
According to him, civil registration is more than an administrative process, as it provides reliable statistics that support public policy formulation, resource allocation and national development planning.
“Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, yet millions of births and deaths remain unregistered.
“Birth registration coverage currently stands at about 57 per cent nationwide, while death registration remains below 20 per cent,” he said.
The commissioner said that the commission had established 4,011 functional registration centres across the country’s 774 local government areas and was working to expand the number to about 8,000.
He added that the commission was strengthening collaboration with stakeholders to improve the capacity of registration personnel and ensure prompt documentation of vital events through the VitalReg platform.
Yori said the platform would provide faster registration services, 24-hour online access, digital certificate issuance where applicable, and reduce paperwork, waiting time and unnecessary travel.
He disclosed that the platform was being operated under a Public-Private Partnership with Barnks-forte Technologies Ltd. as the commission’s technical partner to ensure system availability, cybersecurity and continuous technological improvement.
He called on parents, healthcare institutions, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, development partners and the media to support the initiative by encouraging the prompt registration of births and deaths.
Earlier, Samuel Omonakpeme, director in Kogi, NPC State, described the commencement of the digital registration system as another milestone in efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system.
Omonakpeme stated that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 16.9, which seeks to provide legal identity for all.
He appreciated the Federal Government, the leadership of the commission, UNICEF and other development partners for supporting the implementation of the initiative.
The state director also urged parents, guardians, health institutions, community leaders, religious organisations and the media to mobilise public support for the timely registration of all births and deaths.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that ICT personnel of the commission, led by Ehimoni Kolawole, conducted a live demonstration of the digital birth registration process using the VitalReg platform.
The demonstration showed that the registration process captures the biodata of both parents, while at least one parent must possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN) to complete the registration of a newborn.
Federal government has launched Credit for Laptops, Internet, Connectivity and Knowledge Digital Devices (C.L.I.C.K.D.), a new consumer credit initiative, to provide affordable financing for locally assembled laptops and other digital devices.
L-R: Mr Uzoma Nwagba, managing director and chief executive officer, CREDICORP, and Dr Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, at the launch
The initiative by the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, is aimed at equipping Nigerians with the tools needed to participate in the country’s growing digital economy.
During the launch, Dr Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, described access to credit as critical to improving productivity and driving economic growth.
Dr Tijani said no nation could achieve sustainable development without a strong credit system that enables individuals and businesses to access resources needed to become more productive.
He noted that in today’s digital age, technology has become indispensable for education, innovation and wealth creation.
The minister explained that many talented young Nigerians possess the skills required to succeed in the digital economy but remain constrained by their inability to own computers and other digital tools.
Drawing from his personal experience, Dr Tijani recalled how his first laptop as a student in the university opened doors to international opportunities and eventually inspired him to establish one of Nigeria’s pioneering technology hubs.
He said the new programme would ensure that more young Nigerians are not denied similar opportunities because of financial barriers.
According to him, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a one-trillion-dollar economy by expanding access to technology, boosting productivity and supporting local manufacturing.
Mr Uzoma Nwagba, managing director and chief executive officer, CREDICORP, described the programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future workforce and digital transformation.
Mr Nwagba said that while improvements in internet connectivity and digital skills training have positioned Nigeria for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, access to devices remains a major challenge preventing many young people from fully participating in the digital economy.
He explained that C.L.I.C.K.D. would bridge that gap by providing affordable consumer credit that enables beneficiaries to acquire laptops and other internet-enabled devices while they develop in-demand digital skills
Airtel Nigeria has strengthened its nationwide retail and distribution network as part of its continued investment in enhancing service delivery and making telecommunications and digital services more accessible to millions of Nigerians.
The company’s retail ecosystem comprises more than 4,000 exclusive Airtel shops and over 200,000 retail touch-points nationwide, including partner stores, channel partners and neighborhood agents. This network ensures that subscribers can conveniently easily access SIM registration, device purchases, airtime and data recharge, customer support and other digital solutions.
Commenting on the company’s retail distribution strategy, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO, Airtel Nigeria, said,
“Telecommunications goes beyond the physical infrastructure, it is important that we are able to reach people where they live and work. That is why we continue to invest in a strong retail and distribution ecosystem that enables us to bring Airtel closer to our customers while delivering a consistent, high-quality experience wherever they are.”
According to Joypratip Sengupta, Director, Sales and Distribution, Airtel Nigeria, the company’s distribution network plays a vital role in ensuring seamless service delivery.
“Our retail network is designed to ensure that our services reach customers efficiently. It is a combination of efficient logistic systems, strong partnerships and local engagement that enables us to consistently meet the needs of our customers across the country,” he said.
The strengthened distribution strategy complements the company’s ongoing investments in network infrastructure and digital innovation, recognising that customer proximity remains a critical driver of service excellence and digital inclusion.
In addition to improving customer access, Airtel’s extensive retail ecosystem continues to create economic opportunities for thousands of entrepreneurs, distributors, retailers and small business owners who form an integral part of the company’s value chain.
As demand for accessible, interconnected digital services continues to grow across Nigeria, Airtel remains committed to investing in improving its service delivery and ensuring that every subscriber enjoys quality service.
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