General News
NIPOST Workshop Strategic for Economic Diversification- Stakeholders
Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) Workshop Service has organized its maiden Customers’ Forum showcasing its capabilities as outstanding venture for the Service’s transformation.
At the occasion held at its Centre in Lagos, stakeholders showered encomiums on the management for taken the steps in setting up the Workshop decades ago, while urging the Federal Government enable the Workshop’s autonomy.
Architect Enoch Ogun, acting postmaster general and chief executive officer of NIPOST represented by Malam Bala Wamba, deputy postmaster general, Mail Operations, said that over time, and in response to prevailing global economic recessions, captains of industry were adopting strategies to keep afloat and remain in business, hence NIPOST has queued into the trends.
“We at NIPOST took the initiative by restructuring some of our traditional products and services into strategic business development (SBD). I am proud to tell you that the Workshop service so created in now one of the key ventures of the organization.
“Most recently, we have also repositioned and empowered the Workshop to reach out to the public with excess capacity of the installed machineries by providing quality products and services at competitive prices,” the Acting PMG said.
He pointed out that although it has not been rosy for the Service, they are working assiduously to been in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s change mantra by contributing to the national GDP growth.
According to Engineer John Ayodele, guest speaker at the occasion, said that restructuring NIPOST and the postal/courier sector in Nigeria is largely dependent on the Postal Reform Bill lying at the floor of the National Assembly since 2004.
Ayodele who spoke on the topic: Global Recession- Necessity for Diversification and Synergy: NIPOST Workshop in Perspective , said that although NIPOST management are not to blame for the steady decline in businesses associated with the Service, however, failure to diversify spells a doom for the national postal agency.
He said that before now, NIPOST boasted of surplus mails and other parcels for deliveries, but the advent of technology brought greater challenge to players in the industry.
“A situation where even ‘bus conductors’ at Jibowu and other places are now courier operators is not good for the economy. We need this Bill to be passed to enable an Independent Regulator and endear fresh impetus in NIPOST operations as it would become the national postal agency and not a regulator-player as being practiced now,” he said.
The guest speaker, said he believes NIPPOST is critical in financial inclusion and other government programmes due to its large network of offices and branches scattered across the 774 local government areas in the country.
On the need for NIPOST Workshop’s autonomy, Ayodele suggested an Equity Trust model for private investors and other financial institutions to partner with the Service to grow its profitability to the nation.
“Also, NIPOST Workshop and NIPOST as an Agency of the Government needs to publicize its achievements; let marketers go to the streets and educate people on the core-competencies of this Workshop. It is a mega edifice and national resource based on human capacity and tools available here. Meanwhile, if NIPOST fails to leverage this window presented by ventures like the Workshop, it may find it difficult to remain in business. Gone are the days you relied on letters/mails and stamp duties. The Global recession calls for strategic thinking and rebranding.
The guest speaker also called for improved remunerations for the Workshop’s staff for continued service excellence and proficiencies in their duties.
Also speaking, Otunba Dele Olapeju, who chaired the occasion expressed delight on the quality of products been developed by the Workshop. He sought for Federal Government’s intervention by way of reducing the in-flock of foreign furniture in the market.
According to Olapeju, “Most of the furniture you buy at Mushin and other markets are not as strong as the one produced by NIPOST workshop. So, why can’t the government project this venture first as a national treasury and help the public to utilize the wonderful products they have here”.
He also suggested for a technical partnership between the NIPOST workshop and technical colleges for knowledge transfer hence the global trends revolve around entreprenurship.
To this end, Sikiru Olawale Sulaiman, general manager, NIPOST Workshop service said that the Customers’ Forum was as a result of the observation that being customer-centric is the hallmark of good organization, whether in the public or private sector.
Sulaiman the workshop in consonance with the NIPOST management has put in place structures and processes that are geared towards satisfying customers’ needs, timely and in good conditions.
He reiterated the Workshop’s resolve to building effective and sustainable collaborations with relevant stakeholders for improved service delivery.
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In the busy Fagge Market in Kano, Zahra Bello, a middle-aged entrepreneur who runs a fabric store, speaks about her experience with mobile banking and how this has simplified business transactions and improved her small business.
Behind the growth of these resilient women entrepreneurs lies a story of transformation powered by technology.
“My name is Zahra Bello, I’m from Dambatta in Kano State, and I’m a fabric trader. I first heard about PalmPay from my elder brother in March 2024. He told me how he used the PalmPay Target Savings feature to buy new machinery for his farm and even earned interest. That inspired me to try it too.”
Zahra downloaded the PalmPay app that very day. By December, she’d used the Target Savings plan to restock her shop with new fabrics, an achievement she never thought possible within such a short period. “I was so happy,” she smiles. “The interest I earned on my savings motivated me to save more. PalmPay has become my savings box. I use it for all my transactions now.”
Her story, like many others, is the inspiration for PalmPay’s evolving vision of inclusive banking in Nigeria’s underserved communities.
Women, SMEs, and Technology
Financial exclusion remains a critical challenge in Northern Nigeria. According to EFInA’s 2023 Access to Financial Services survey, an estimated 28.8 million adults in the North are excluded from the formal financial system, with exclusion rates as high as 47% in the Northwest.
Among women, especially those in rural areas, the figures are even more concerning, as these numbers represent the daily reality of millions of women who run informal businesses and contribute to household income without access to banking, credit, or digital tools.
PalmPay’s initiative addresses this gap directly. 5,000 female entrepreneurs in Kano and Kaduna will receive hands-on financial literacy training on mobile payments and their shops are rebranded with signages, aprons, and other kits that will enhance visibility for their businesses.
“I used to write down every sale in a notebook. Now I track everything with my PalmPay account,” says Rabi Abdullahi, a trader in Kano. “Customers trust me more now that I have a business name and branded store.”
PalmPay has done its due diligence to understand the challenges and has offered a tailored approach to solving these issues which includes this social impact initiative.
Social Impact and Strategic Growth
With over 35 million users in Nigeria, the company is keen to expand in regions where smartphone adoption is rising but digital finance penetration remains low.
Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing and Communications, explains: “We see this as long-term ecosystem building. When you give small business owners the tools to grow, you don’t just gain users, you build loyalty, trust, and sustainable impact.” This also aligns with Nigeria’s Financial Inclusion Strategy goal to reach 95% inclusion by 2025, a benchmark that can’t be reached without focused efforts in the North.
The project has earned the support of traditional leaders, most notably His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Dr. Muhammadu Sanusi II, who praised the initiative and called for greater collaboration between the private sector and community stakeholders.
With the success of this initiative, PalmPay has continued to expand its solutions in these regions offering support to even more women.
In Northern Nigeria, where the need is great and the gap wide, PalmPay is proving that true impact goes beyond offering products to providing support and meeting the needs of its users at the grassroots.
Moniepoint Inc, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions partnered with the Mega Impact Foundation to support the 5th edition of the NextGen Connect Interschool Oratory Competition in Asaba, Delta state. This collaboration showcases Moniepoint’s unwavering commitment to youth empowerment and human capital development across the African continent.
The competition, which was held commemoratively to celebrate this year’s International Day of the Boy Child, brought together SS2 students from across Delta State to address the critical theme: “The Role of Financial Inclusion and Technology in Shaping a Brighter Future for Young People in Africa.” Moniepont has received critical acclaim over its core mission of advancing financial inclusion through innovative digital financial technology solutions and payment services..
The oratory competition showcased exceptional talent among Nigeria’s youth, with Otovo Praise of Crystalloid International School emerging as the champion.
His outstanding performance earned him a full-year scholarship through the Tosin Eniolorunda STEM Foundation, reflecting Moniepoint’s philosophy of investing in educational excellence. Second-place winner Audi Innocent of St Patrick’s College received ₦300,000, while third-place winner, Asher David of Glorious Kids Academy was awarded ₦200,000.
“At Moniepoint, we believe that driving sustainable innovation begins with future-proofing and expanding the talent pool by empowering the next generation with the tools that they need to succeed especially basic literacy skills which remain fundamental pillars in socio-economic development,” said Tosin Eniolorunda, CEO Moniepoint Inc.
“These young voices represent the future of African leadership, and their insights into financial inclusion and technology demonstrate the remarkable potential that exists within our communities. Through our various educational and developmental initiatives such as the CAD/CAM lab we donated to OAU last year or the Moniepoint DreamDevs programme, we are betting big on an investment in Africa’s future.”
The initiative extends beyond monetary rewards, creating meaningful platforms for young people to express their ideas on a global stage. Through its support of the NextGen Connect Conference and Tech-In-School conversations, Moniepoint is fostering an environment where youth can develop critical thinking skills, build confidence, and engage with pressing societal issues.
In her remarks, Founder, Mega Impact Foundation, Florence Ogonegbu said that “we reaffirm our commitment to building an Africa where every young person has simplified access to sustainable education, capacity building, and empowerment.
By leveraging technology and local initiatives, we are creating platforms that enable our youth to thrive and transform their communities. Together with partners like Moniepoint, we are not just shaping futures—we are driving a movement for social development that will resonate globally. Every boy, every young person, deserves the opportunity to unlock their full potential and drive lasting impact across our continent.”
The competition received additional support from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Delta State, highlighting the collaborative approach required to nurture young talent effectively.
African legislators across the continent are increasingly demanding answers from mobile network operators for chronic poor service. Parliamentarians in Cameroon, South Africa and Zambia are demanding answers on data pricing, network connectivity needs in rural regions, contributions to job creation, data security and privacy, and adherence to universal service obligations.
Zambia is the latest country to question telcos over quality of service, and National Assembly speaker Nelly Mutti has ordered minister of technology and science Felix Mutati to deliver a ministerial statement on the Airtel network’s repeat outages and the steps being taken to resolve them.
Lawmakers have expressed concerns about the impact of inconsistent connectivity, particularly in rural areas where mobile communication is important for emergencies and essential services.
This come after telecoms regulator, Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) read the riot act to Airtel, after its most recent outage last week.
This was not the first time the telco had experienced service interruption, which prompted ZICTA to threaten the telco with a fine.
Meanwhile, the speaker of parliament declared that the nation has to be informed about the causes for the network provider’s bad service and the steps being taken to address the issue.
Mutti said: “This matter is affecting everyone. We need to know why the services are poor and what is being done to ensure service providers comply with stipulated guidelines.”
The move by the Zambian parliament comes a few days after South African parliament also summoned mobile network operators to respond to a range of concerns that lawmakers felt impacted consumers.
The following issues were considered by parliamentarians: network connectivity standards in rural areas, contributions to job creation, transformation, and economic inclusion and empowerment for blacks in general, women, youth, and people with disabilities, data security and privacy, adherence to universal service obligations, and spectrum conditions for universal connectivity.
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