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Local courier firms rejig, Fear Brexit will hurt business

By Peter Oluka
29 July 2016   |   2:02 am
Indigenous courier operators in Nigeria are rethinking strategies in anticipation of situations that might be created by the recent British (Brexit) decision to exit from the European Union (EU).

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Indigenous courier operators in Nigeria are rethinking strategies in anticipation of situations that might be created by the recent British (Brexit) decision to exit from the European Union (EU).

According to economic analysts, the Great Britain’s a courier hub, and the latest decision creates unpleasant business atmosphere for the industry, although Paris is tipped to serve as alternative.

In a chat with Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, Omolara Okuneye-Oyeyemi, vice president, Association of Nigeria Courier Operators (ANCO), said that knowing that London ‘was’ the hub for the European Nations deliveries before the exit, the current situation may warrant a change in policy, while the operators will need to re-strategize.

She said, “Yes, the countries remaining in the Union (EU) will definitely have to shift the hub to another ‘central location’ that may serve them with very fair economic benefits. We all know London is closest to Nigeria in terms of time, distance and cost; any other country may become more expensive and that definitely affect profits. Every businessman is in business to maximise profit at little cost and barest risks.

“Nigeria has enjoyed relationship with Britain since the colonisation days. Shifting to any other European country will mean a ‘begin again’ of sort leading to new policy adoption, new business contacts and/or relationships.

According to Okuneye-Oyeyemi who is also the MD/CEO of PTL Courier, “to build new business relationship, now that Nigeria is just about getting out of the ‘mud, few politicians had thrown us, may be pretty difficult if not impossible. Though looking to the brighter side of life, it can happen. If we won’t mind the slow pace it may make”.

Captain John Okakpu, MD/CEO of ABX World while supporting Okuneye-Oyeyemi said that Brexit would definitely be problematic for the courier networks in the short run, with UK’s to receive the major economic shock.

Capt. Okakpu added that, leaving the EU, though the ‘people’s choice’, but was never the best option for the UK, as “Apart from some politicians who wanted ‘out of EU’, almost every economic and other political analysts warned them not to leave. Now, talking about courier business, UK is the hub in Europe, but with the exit, it is going to create another hub, possibly in Paris (France).

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