The collaboration between Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and Konga.com has brought to birth to the collection centre at the University of Lagos Post Office dubbed ‘UNILAG’. The UNILAG collection centre is the first in a series of collaborations by the two parties to address logistics and delivery issues experienced by e-Commerce operators in Nigeria.
These include shortage of secure and conveniently located places where customers can pick up their purchases and return items that do not meet their expectations.
Security and convenience are particularly important for customers living in shared accommodation such as hostels in tertiary institutions. Such customers need to know that the items they have purchased are safe and waiting to be collected at a place that is easy to reach.
For e-Commerce operators, delivering items to people living in these institutions can be time consuming and expensive. Such clients are often moving between different locations on the campus and several attempts at delivery are usually required.
The two said the partnership to establish collection centres in tertiary locations was a welcome development for both customers and e-tailers; and would result in the rollout of 47 collection centres nationwide over a period of two months.
The new collection centres is bound to serve everybody from academic, business and social community on and around the campus.
The Minister of Communications Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming NIPOST into a viable, socially conscious yet profit-orientated entity.
She added: “Furthermore, the Post office has grown to become the most extensive retail network in Nigeria. It is only logical that the e-Commerce industry leverage the experience and facilities of NIPOST to provide secure and more convenient services to their customers.”