With more Lagos-based entrepreneurs protesting online, Saturday, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Mr. Isa Pantami, has said that it did not approve the new licensing fees for logistics companies as advertised by the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).
Reacting to the social media uproar on the new charges, the Minister said, via his Twitter handle, “Please @NipostNgn, our attention has been drawn to an increase of license fee, which was not part of the regulation I earlier approved for you.
“Your Chair and PMG were, Friday, contacted to put the implementation on hold and send a report to our ministry by Monday.”
The new regulations categorised logistics companies into international, regional, state, municipal or intra-city, and SME operators.
International operators are to pay N20 million as a license fee, national N10 million, and regional operators N5 million.
State, municipal and special SME operators are to pay N2 million, N1 million, and N250,000 respectively. Each operator, irrespective of the category, will pay 40% of the license fee as a renewal fee annually.
NIPOST had claimed that the fees hike was aimed at regulating the logistics sector, as well as improving the efficiency of the players in that sector.
Many logistics companies have been shut down, with their delivery agents arrested by law enforcement authorities for not possessing the financially stringent NIPOST Licence fees.
