By Ayo Alanamu
COVID -19 placed the world in crises, it rampaged
across countries, and made our globalised world feel vulnerable, and at times,
almost defenceless. Post and their partners in other economies had all faced
impossible impacts with the declaration of a global pandemic; the business
world took a new dimension.
The African Telecommunications Union (ATU)
established on the 7th December 1977, celebrates every year its
founding day to reflect and demonstrate the key role Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) plays in the social and economic developments
of Africa.
This year’s theme ‘’POST COVID 19: Role of
Telecoms/ICT in the Resumption of socio-Economic Activities’’ is imperative
because of the reality of the new normal.
Taking the whole gamut of communications
including the postal service into consideration, it will be apt to conclude
that telecommunication/digital advancement goes a long way to help situate and
observe the social distancing protocols as the pandemic raged. The Post has
played a critical role in uniting the people, providing essential services not
only mails but also delivering other important services. This helped the
citizens of the world to possibly curb the transmission of the virus.
Telecommunications has completely transformed how
people communicate and navigate their personal and professional lives. With an
ever- present need for humans to connect and communicate, this industry is
slated to continue its upward growth.
Surfing the internet, placing phone calls,
e-mailing and text messaging, plus ordering goods online, and the
delivery to the last man via courier services, either of private courier or
government owned courier companies, are all added as part of the complete
communication chain.
As a result of this, Telecommunication becomes
one of the most crucial infrastructures for protection. From natural disasters
to military needs, there is a wide spectrum of institutions that depend on
telecoms to provide safety.
Postal Service has continued to evolve and with
steady expansion of products and services, has found its place in the socio-
economy space of communication. In later years after its creation, the Post has
stepped into many frontiers that keep adding up its relevance to the mechanism
of National and Economic development.
Communication is key to national development and
it is largely premised on citizens fundamental right, economic buoyancy, rise
in per capita income, rule of law, and above all, conflict resolution and
security. By these templates and several other parameters, the Postal Service
role has been noble.
When the scrupulous element took to the Post in
the 90s to perpetuate Advance Fee Fraud, otherwise known as ‘’419’’, using it
as conduit to send tonnes of documents aimed at defrauding unsuspecting
Nigerians, it raised alarm, intercepted a large portion of such documents to
the credit of the country.
Telecommunications plays a critical role in
communities, particularly remote regions where modern banking has not been able
to reach. A recent study undertaken by Universal Postal Union, the specialised
agency of the United Nations, revealed that despite the financial inclusion and
deepening of teledensity efforts of various governments in integrating their
citizens into the global financial networking, there are still well over half a
million locations in Africa that should offer financial services using
telecommunication to the teeming world population, no matter how remotely
located. This is where the postal service comes in offering its vast spaces at
the Post Offices to accommodate this service.
In the projection of any developing postal
service, it ought to rely so much on telecommunication and information
technology to make a Post Office modern, becoming a one stop- shop, where it can
reintroduce mini banking services, e-government services, where citizen can
access a number government services such as applying and collection of drivers’
licences, international passports, national ID cards etc. This will no doubt
boost the economy.
Information Technology and the ability to connect
and communicate is a fundamental part of how a society operates today's digital
ecosystem, to transform the business world, and foster operational efficiency
that stimulates steady growth.
In today’s business world, many organisations
employ cross functional teams to tackle new products, corporate initiatives,
marketing campaigns etc. With telecom service, these teams are equipped with
the technology necessary to collaborate from any location, allowing for optimal
productivity, enhanced connectivity and increased teamwork.
Driven by competition and customers demand,
postal operators use advanced technology for different purposes, above all to
improve operational efficiency and to offer new products and services. In
particular, consumer demand for faster handling of orders and more convenient
delivery is driving change in the post and technological innovations are
enabling e-retailers and postal operators to respond to these requirements.
In the parcel and other e-commerce item delivery
business, Last-mile delivery has improved with technology such as Parcel
Dimensional Scanner for signatures scanning, which have added additional
security for consumers.
Educational institutions now leverage
telecommunication to deliver long distance or remote education. Equally
certificates are being requested online, are centre quest by West African
Examination Council (WAEC) on Nigerian Postal Service to help it deliver
certificates to recipients who would have requested for their certificates
without having to travel long distances.
Telecommunication has become the foundation for
businesses, government communities and families to seamlessly connect and share
information. Therefore technology has played an overall positive role for
postal services and acts as an enabler and a drive for better services for
consumers. Looking ahead, technology has become and more important for postal
services, and further positive benefits are expected.
Written by Ayo Alanamu of the Corporate Communication,
NIPOST Headquarters Abuja
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