The Federal Ministry of communication and the digital economy has said that it is 90 percent ready to capitalize on the Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST).
It said that the agency has more than 2,000 properties nationwide that would be deployed to money-spinning ventures.
Dr. Isa Pantami, the minister told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in its special interview program, NAN Forum, that property and development, logistics, courier, and a microfinance company were among the forthcoming ventures.
According to him, all assets of NIPOST scattered all over the country would be fully utilized to maximize revenue creation for the developing business enterprises. NAN reports that the Minister had on Aug. 3, hinted that the FG would soon unveil policies to capitalize NIPOST into property and development, logistics, courier, and a microfinance company.
Pantami said that NIPOST had over 2,300 properties scattered across the country with most of them decapitated and underutilized.
“NIPOST has over 2,300 properties in this country and you will discover it has property in some selected areas that are highly prestigious in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Kano and all of them are decapitated,’’ he said.
According to him, some of the property has been there for over 30 years without proper utilization.“So, the wisdom is to establish some companies like Property and Development Company that will work under NIPOST.’’
The Minister said the property enterprise would develop the dilapidated property, with some in partnership with the government, so that it would be able to put them into good use and generate something.
He also said the capitalizing of NIPOST had reached advanced stages, with almost 90% work done.
“We have reached advanced stages of capitalizing, most probably almost 90 percent of work done now.
“We will come up with NIPOST Microfinance Bank. We can use all our offices where there are no banks even in rural areas and they can serve as banks.
“We also propose to have transport and Logistics Company; most probably we are considering the ability to come up with a NIPOST courier company as well,’’ he said.
He noted that NIPOST capitalization would lead to increased employment and revenue generation for the government.
NAN
