General News
PRB Passage, Economic Policies Limit Courier Sector Growth- Oladapo
Mr. Siyanbola Oladapo, president, Association of Courier Operators of Nigeria (ANCO) has decried the delay in the passage of the Postal Reform Bill (PRB), and said that political, social and economic factors are to blame for the recent challenges faced by operators.
He said that the passage of the bill; and right economic decisions by the government will help restore investors’ confidence.
Oladapo who is also the MD/CEO of Bowill Errands Limited, told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, that “The courier industry is not immune to the present economic challenges in the country. The economy has witnessed recession. About a year and plus ago when the new government came in, it was politicking; they had to settle and have cabinet in place because the new government is an infusion of many political parties needing to satisfy different groups and party faithful.
“Almost at the same time they came in the price of crude oil was falling and so it has been difficult for them to fulfill their promises. And, Nigeria as a mono-product economy there was a huge challenge. In other words, before they could get their acts together the economy has slid to recession. There are security challenges compounding issues for the country too.
“The implication to the courier is that in places like the North-East it was difficult to do business. Businesses were shutting down. It was difficult for us (the country) to get things together and move forward at the pace the citizens envisioned.
“Also, the advent of e-commerce which is supposed to be a plus, but then most buyers lost the purchasing power; skyrocketing unemployment with companies folding up, these events impacted the courier negatively. The capital market also has its own challenges. Most of our members are key players in the market. Likewise, the cost of doing business was going high. Companies are looking for means to reduce cost. Therefore, in the last one year, all those things made the courier industry to face the challenges as inherent in the economy. In fact, it has not been easy for the players in this industry.
“Those who even want to import are not having it easy because there is shortage of foreign exchange. So, we cannot even assist them to ship things in. At that point people/companies were agitated and were kind of stayed aloof to reassess the capacity of the government to redeem the situation.
“Again, the cost of replacing machinery was there. We have the challenge of buying equipments to replace or rehabilitate damaged ones. Most infrastructure have failed too. The roads are bad. With State Governments owing months of salaries, people are trying to make a living. This has also led to the increased activities of touts who pose as local government officials making lives miserable for dispatch men out there in the street.
“The supposed officials resort to jungle justice; taking laws into their hands and extorting money from operators. When you call to lodge in complaints, nobody will be there to listen, because they have not earned their salaries too. All this has dire effect on the operators. The social, economic and political challenges impacted the industry too”.
Expectations this Year
Speaking further, Oladapo said that the present realities also present the industry players with opportunity to think-out-of-the-box and synergy on how to utilize available resources.
He said, “In times like this (recession) people get smarter; you think outside the box. So, companies will be concerned on how to reduce costs. This is when the concept of synergy will play better. Although, the synergy has its pros and cons. Trust and capacity are required to maintain such relationship in business. Having said that we believe 2017 will be a better one.
“First, the Postal Reform Bill (PRB) is receiving a better attention at the National Assembly. The Postmaster General, we believe, will leverage his political afflictions to get things moved in that direction. It was due to clash of interest in the past that has actually delayed the Bill. The post PMGs seemed foot-dragging on the matter, probably, for personal reasons. But the new PMG has a mandate to change the situation and he would want to score the point. The industry expects that intruders will be shown way out of the industry.
“As government is seeking for new ways to mitigate the forex impasse we expect things we get better; companies should be able to either import or export goods. As the price of crude is coming up Nigeria will have enough dollar (foreign exchange) to back up people’s demands. The courier sector will bounce back also”.
He added that boom in e-commerce space, “once people’s purchasing power is back”, will help the industry blossom to live again.
Femi Otedola, chairman, First HoldCo, has revealed that he will invest $100 million in Dangote refinery.
Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola
This is coming ahead of news that the Dangote refinery is planning to raise $2 billion through private placement, by selling its shares to the general public on a stock exchange for the first time.
Otedola, announced his plans on Wednesday after leading top executives of First HoldCo to visit Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, at the refinery in Lagos.
“From on a personal note, I’ve appealed to him (Aliko Dangote). I’ve been here with him 25 times, so my compensation is he’s going to allocate to me shares worth $100 million in the private placement,” the billionaire said.
“That’s one of the reasons why I sold my stake in Geregu plant to come and invest my proceeds in the IPO of Dangote refinery.”
During the meeting, Dangote said, the company is targeting a private placement of about $2 billion for the refinery
Dangote, on October 22, 2025, said the refinery could sell up to 10 percent stake in the listing, which Bloomberg valued to be about $5 billion.
The billionaire is planning to make the IPO a cross-border listing to enable the refinery draw investments from domestic and international investors.
In an earlier report, Dangote said the IPO is designed to democratise wealth creation and give Africans direct access to participate in the continent’s industrial transformation.
On May 12, Bloomberg reported that the billionaire is reportedly aiming for a valuation of up to $50 billion for Dangote refinery.
The Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, has entered into a collaborative partnership with Lasaco Assurance Plc to drive sustainable institutional growth and operational synergy.
According to a statement from the firm, the partnership is a strategic move to bridge the gap between public service efficiency and private sector innovation.
The partnership was solidified during a courtesy visit by top officials of the NIS Lagos Command to the corporate headquarters of Lasaco Assurance Plc in Lagos.
Led by the Deputy Comptroller of Immigration and Passport Control Officer, the NIS delegation engaged the insurance firm’s executive team in high-level discussions aimed at fostering knowledge exchange, strengthening risk management practices, and advancing national development goals.
A major highlight of the strategic engagement was the presentation of an award to the Managing Director of Lasaco Assurance Plc, Ademoye Shobo.
The NIS delegation honoured the insurance boss for his exemplary leadership in driving product growth, building operational resilience, and introducing innovative risk management solutions to the industry.
While commending Lasaco’s leadership, the NIS delegation noted that the company had consistently distinguished itself through a customer-focused approach and commitment to professionalism.
They emphasised that public-private partnerships were vital to creating value-driven systems that would benefit the larger Nigerian economy.
Reacting to the honour and the partnership prospects, Shobo reiterated the insurer’s readiness to support the immigration office.
“We are deeply honoured by this visit and the recognition from the Nigeria Immigration Service. At Lasaco, we believe that the future of institutional growth lies in deliberate collaboration. We are fully committed to maintaining a strong, mutually beneficial relationship with the Immigration Office to improve operational efficiency and deepen trust across both sectors,” Shobo said.
The management of Lasaco Assurance further expressed gratitude, noting that the engagement had set a new benchmark for public-private alignment.
The management stated, “This courtesy visit is not just a ceremony; it is a reinforcement of our shared commitment to institutional excellence. By combining public sector dedication with private sector innovation, we can create stronger avenues for service delivery that ultimately advance our national goals.”
The engagement underscored the growing importance of continuous dialogue between government agencies and private corporations to solve modern operational challenges.
Moving forward, both organisations expressed confidence that the partnership would unlock new opportunities for strategic growth.
Lasaco Assurance Plc reaffirmed its long-term vision to deliver value-driven insurance solutions, sustain stakeholder confidence, and champion impactful collaborations that foster national progress.
Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer (EVC/CEO), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has has been confirmed as a Special Guest of Honour at this year’s Africa Beacon of ICT Lectures and Awards.
Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer, NCC
Africa Beacon of ICT Lectures and Awards, is widely regarded as the most prestigious annual event available in the ICT industry in Nigeria.
The event according Ken Nwogbo, editor-in-chief of Nigeria Communications Week,“is digital transformation edition” will hold on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.
Africa’s BoICT Lecture is designed to explore efforts to put Nigeria on the global Information and Communications Technologies map.
It will also to recognise and celebrate organisations and individuals in the ICT and banking industries that have impacted in digital transformation of the economy.
Nwogbo said that Dr. Maida, oversees the regulation, development, and strategic direction of the Nigerian telecommunications industry.
His administration at the NCC, actively drives initiatives to improve telecom consumer experience, enhance infrastructure, and foster collaborations (such as with the Central Bank of Nigeria) to protect citizens from financial fraud
He holds a PhD in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from the University of Bath, UK.
Prior to joining the NCC, he served as the Executive Director, Technology and Operations at the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS).
At NIBSS, Dr. Maida was responsible for spearheading the technical and operational standardization of all devices deployed in the financial system in Nigeria for interoperability.
He led a dynamic team that ensured that all terminals used in the e-payment industry and all devices deployed in Nigeria would accept all cards issued by banks and other licensed card schemes without discrimination.
Prior to his appointment at NIBSS, Maida was the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at the Nigerian-based FinTech Arca Payments Network and Senior Manager at Cisco Systems, United Kingdom.
As a seasoned technical professional with over 15 years of multi-functional and international experience in FinTech & Telecoms & Enterprise Technology, Dr. Maida between 2010 and 2014, worked as a Network Design Consultant at EE, part of BT Group, and one of the largest mobile communications companies in the UK.
He was also at some point (2006-2010) a System Engineer at Ubiquisys, a leading company in intelligent 3G and LTE small cells, which is now part of Cisco.
Dr. Maida will be joining will join top dignitaries who have graced the event in the past including: Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, former executive vice-chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC); Engr. Yomi Bolarinwa, former Director-General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC); Dr. Jean Luc Fort, CEO at OR System France and a specialist in Counterparty Risk; and Professor Chris Nwagboso, Chairman, Knowledge Factory International, United Kingdom.
Others are: Chris Uwaje, chairman, Mobile Software Solutions Ltd; Uche Orji, former managing director/chief executive officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA); Biodun Omoniyi, Managing Director/CEO, VDT Communications; and John Obaro, CEO and founder of Systemspecs; Dr. Isa Pantanmi, former DG, NITDA; Dr. Obadare Peter Adewale, co-founder and COO, Digital Encode Limited; among others.
The highpoint of the BoICT Lecture will be the conferment of awards to companies and individuals for their significant contributions to the growth of technology in Nigeria and indeed Africa.
The event is a five-star event; easily Nigeria’s ICT Oscars.
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