eBusiness Weekly
HARARE – The Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) says National Post Offices should expediently transform and take up their ‘natural’ role in driving financial inclusion and e-commerce in Sub Saharan Africa.
PAPU represents Potstal services providers in the African Union (AU). Said PAPU secretary-general:
“On the strength of more than 650 000 postal outlets worldwide, including more than 37 000 spread across Africa, the Post currently ranks second after the banking sector in delivering financial services on our planet.
“Better still, for those on the sidelines of the traditional banking system, namely rural populations and the urban poor, the post is the sole and surest partner with a broad and inclusive financial offering including savings, payments, remittances, insurance and loans among others.
“Moreover, through the Post Governments can easily foster the development of e-commerce, social inclusion, e-governance, digital inclusion, e-education. Ideally, the Post is the essential infrastructure to support decision-makers in their endeavors to build inclusive societies with emerging economies.”
In Zimbabwe the transformation of Post Offices into fintechs of sorts is already underway.
Last year, ZimPost acting managing director Chief Moyo said the company is implementing cross-finance services (including digital financial services) at its 226 outlets across Zimbabwe.
And indications are that postal administrator will benefit from the Universal Services Fund (USF) – a Government initiative aimed at extending ICTs reach to marginalised communities – to securing adequate financial resources and cash flows for it to be able to undertake transactions.
In 2016, local postal services volumes for all categories comprising of letters, parcels, small packets and registered letters was 5,82 million.
And for the period to September 2017, volumes were at 5, 78 million had been processed and the figure is expected to further increase buoyed by increased business during the festive season.
