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NIPOST Assures SMEs of Support

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Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) will support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) through its digital platforms, according to Bisi Adegbuyi, postmaster general of the federation.

 

According to him, “There are several ways how we can use the post to enhance and promote small business owners. We can address the challenges associated with SME business in Nigeria such as lack of access to funds, lack of access to market and inadequate logistics, through our innovative platforms that are now digital.”

 

Determined to assist the SME business, the e-Commerce department of NIPOST recently went into partnership with technology savvy Nigerians to create the NIPOST market platform that aggregates the products and services of SMEs and internationalise it by taking such products and services to online for the world to see and have access to them, using the NIPOST wide network, the Postmaster General added.

 

“We are aware that access to credit facilities is a major challenge to SMEs, which is linked to identity management of the small business owners. To address this challenge which has denied SMEs the opportunity to credit facilities, NIPOST is leveraging existing technologies to deploy state-of-art hyper specific addressing system that will help SMEs have genuine identity that could give them access to loans for business expansion.

 

“With a smartphone with internet connectivity, SMEs can go online and download NIPOST Addressing System from the Google Play Store and they will be given digital address system free of charge, and it comes with the fully digitalised post code,” Adegbuyi said.

 

He explained that Under the Know Your Customer (KYC) initiative of commercial banks, SMEs with addressing system and post code, could easily be identified and have quick access to soft loans. The NIPOST Address Verification System is ready and will be launched soon. In the past, postal order were used as a means of exchange of money but all that are no more.

 

“But with technology innovation, we have come up with a robust e-money order that will replace the old manual postal order and it will soon be launched to the public, which we believe will help to further deepen cashless economy and bring in more SMEs into the CBN financial inclusion strategy.

 

NIPOST, according to him, has the widest network because of its presence in all the 36 states and all the 774 local government areas of the federation, and that the Central Bank of Nigeria has granted NIPOST an international money transfer operator’s licence, that will enable NIPOST start with inbound remittances to drive SMEs businesses in the country. We have equally signed an agreement with Western Union and they will be using the post offices as payout. Remittances drives development and our plan is to use the post in sustain the country’s developmental goals, especially those geared towards SME business, Adegbuyi said.

 

Mrs. Tayo Taye Ajayi, general manager, EMS, the courier arm of NIPOST,  said NIPOST, through its courier arm, has made mail delivery a lot easier.

 

According to her, the volume of mail traffic has improved over the years, reaching above 350,000 mails for speedpost in 2018. She said delivery within West African countries now take only four days and five days for other African countries. In the area of volume of sales, Ajayi said in 2017, EMS raked N1.8 billion in revenue but that the sales volume dropped in 2018 to N1.2 billion.

 

Dr. Isa Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, recently directed the Postmaster General of the Federation to stop cash payments across the counters of NIPOST offices nationwide. The order, according to Pantami, was meant to curb corrupt practices of some staff of NIPOST who were in the habit of collecting money from customers without remitting same to government.

 

In a statement signed by Mrs. Uwa Suleman, spokesperson to the Minister:  the Minister said: “It has come to the attention of the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, that some unscrupulous elements, have been taking undue advantage of the cash payment system under the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST), to engage in corrupt practices.

 

“In line with the anti-corruption agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and the mandate of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the Honourable Minister hereby directs the Post Master General, to with immediate effect, suspend all existing cash payment plans within its establishments nationwide. The Post Master General, is to ensure that all its offices revert to Point of Sales (PoS) and bank teller transactions immediately.”

 

According to the statement, “The general public and all customers of NIPOST, are hereby encouraged to insist on Point of Sales (PoS) or bank teller transactions, when conducting business with NIPOST. This directive is a temporary measure in the interim to tackle corruption, as we are currently working on fully automating the systems as a permanent solution to the challenge.”

 


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FBNQuest Trustees Set to Host an Estate Planning Clinic in Ibadan

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FBNQuest Trustees, a subsidiary of FBNHoldings, and a leading provider of trust solutions to individuals, corporate entities, and government institutions, is hosting an Estate Planning Clinic in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The event will take place on May 30, 2024.

The forum’s theme is “Preserving Legacies Across Generations” and aims to educate residents from Ibadan and environs about the importance of estate planning in accordance with relevant legislation. The session will be led by experienced professionals with in-depth knowledge and extensive experience in estate planning.

The focus of this event is generational wealth transfer and proper estate planning, using live and practical examples to bring the message to bear.

The session will provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the necessary steps and actions to take to preserve their properties across generations. Additionally, FBNQuest Trustees will share valuable insights on managing conventional estate plans, which are designed to ensure the preservation of legacies.

 

 


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Orange, Digital Africa Partner to Grow Tech Start-ups

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Orange has provided more resources to deepen and expedite support for African tech start-ups as they navigate and thrive in a fast-evolving digital world.

Under its Orange Ventures arm, the multinational telecoms giant, which has 266 million subscribers, recently teamed with Digital Africa to invest in start-ups under the Fuzé scheme.

Fuzé is a €6.5 million facility formed by African entrepreneurs to invest in start-ups in the ideation and minimum viable product stages.

It is entirely owned by Digital Africa. The agreement, launched at Vivatech in Paris, follows the two firms’ 2023 partnerships to fund start-ups from the Orange Digital Centre (ODC) network.

ODC network is an ecosystem deployed in 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East, and 8 countries in Europe, bringing together young people for start-up incubation and acceleration, as well as support for and investment in project leaders.

Faycal Adlouni, managing partner at Orange Ventures, stated that the company is committed to promoting entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa.

“The Orange Group is fully committed to nurturing the future champions of the technology scene in Africa and the Middle East. This arrangement, involving Orange Middle East and Africa, Orange Ventures and Digital Africa will collectively enable us to concentrate our resources to create an environment conducive to the success of start-ups,” he said.

In the first year, five tech start-ups in the ODC received $54 200 each as part of Digital Africa’s Fuzé program. Grégoire de Padirac, CEO of Digital Africa, said the latest initiative strengthens the strategic partnership signed last year.

 


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Moniepoint Celebrates Children, Promotes Financial Literacy in Low-income Communities

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In recognition of the transformative power of education and children as the lynchpin of a nation’s future, Africa’s fastest growing financial institution according to the Financial Times, Moniepoint Inc has provided opportunity for kids in low-income and underserved communities in Lagos to receive life-changing financial literacy in a fun, and relaxed environment to commemorate this year’s Children’s Day celebration.

At an august celebration which was held at the Let It Shine Academy, LISA in Lagos, students were provided with school bags, books, educational tablets and learning accessories to power academic aspirations, as volunteers from Moniepoint took them through interactive and engaging sessions around budgeting, savings and spending,earning money, investing, personal financial management so as to instill a positive culture of financial literacy.

Children’s Day prioritizes children’s rights and participation in the wider world and financial literacy is a very important life skill considering that financial decisions cut across every aspect of their lives, and a solid foundation in this regard can transform them and the nation at large.

Speaking to Moniepoint’s observance of Children’s Day, Aderayo Adesokan, Manager, Brand and Communications, Moniepoint Inc said,

“We are here at LISA to celebrate Children’s Day with the kids. For us at Moniepoint, we are firm believers in powering the dreams of not just businesses or individuals but those associated with them, especially a vulnerable segment like the children. We believe that we can serve as a catalyst to their dreams while helping them understand that as a brand we exist to ensure a society where everyone experiences financial happiness and we’ll be there for them.

We are excited that this platform has afforded us the opportunity to introduce these kids to critical life changing skills around financial inclusion and literacy, and help them better under the concept of money.

It is our expectation that armed with the information and skills that they have received, they in turn are well positioned and better able to educate their friends and family such that Nigeria’s socio-economic development is safe guarded even as all stakeholders continue to work towards entrenching UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.”

According to Damilola Feyide, Founder & Executive Director of LISA,  “At LISA, we’re not just teaching; we’re elevating communities through digital empowerment, creative learning, and skill development. We believe in equipping the youth for a rapidly evolving future where they can thrive and lead.

I am grateful to Moniepoint for supporting our vision and bringing the dreams of a lot of the kids to pass. They have demonstrated in very clear tones by their actions that it is possible to end neglect and marginalization & provide equal opportunity for children to fully develop especially in underserved communities.”

Moniepoint provides over 3 million people and businesses across Nigeria with access to banking, payments processing, loans and business management tools that they need with a view to helping them thrive and contribute to economic growth while driving financial inclusion across the country. LISA is empowering Nigeria’s future by providing free & quality secondary education for children from low-income households and marginalized kids.


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