FG to overhaul NIPOST with nationwide franchise system

By Olakunle Oke

The Federal Government has announced a sweeping plan to restructure the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) through a franchise model designed to boost efficiency and expand service delivery across the country.

The reform, led by Postmaster General Tola Adeyemi, is set to unify the long-fragmented postal system and transform Post Offices into one-stop hubs for key government services, including postal operations, name registration, and passport processing.

A senior source revealed that one of Adeyemi’s earliest moves was to consolidate NIPOST into a single entity, reversing years of division into multiple organisations. The overhaul also aims to settle long-standing legal disputes that had blocked private efforts to acquire nine Post Office branches.

Under the new structure, Post Offices will be run by small businesses operating under strict government supervision. The government will provide the technological infrastructure and enforce operational standards, while franchisees will oversee day-to-day management.

“It is no longer government staff running Post Offices. With the franchise model, services will be more effective and uniform across the country,” the source explained.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has endorsed a policy memo on the restructuring, which has been submitted to President Bola Tinubu. Acting on his directive, advertisements inviting qualified individuals and businesses to bid for Post Office management slots will soon be published nationwide.