PAPU urges investment in Africa’s postal sector

ARUSHA: POSTAL sector regulators and designated operators from across Africa convened in Arusha on Monday for a highlevel dialogue themed “Reinventing and Reengineering the African Post: Regulation, Innovation and Investment for Inclusive Socio-Economic Development.”

The forum, organised by the Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) as part of its 43rd Administrative Council session, became a dynamic hub for sharing professional expertise and innovative ideas aimed at transforming Africa’s postal services into catalysts for economic and social progress.

One of the key presentations, titled “Empowering Africa’s Communities Through the Post by Revolutionising Instant Remittance in Africa – Any Phone, Anywhere, Any Country,” showcased a mobile application designed to facilitate seamless money transfers and transactions across all 54 African nations.

Developed by UK-based firm bibimoney, the app enables cross-border currency exchange and product purchases directly via mobile phones. Notably, bibimoney CEO Shiraz Jess, who was born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is at the forefront of this digital innovation.

Representatives from more than 40 PAPU Member States praised Tanzania, particularly the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) under the leadership of Director General Dr Jabiri Bakari, for positioning the country as a hub of postal operations on the continent and for hosting the PAPU headquarters.

In his opening remarks, PAPU Secretary General Dr Chief Chifundo Moyo described the forum as a vital platform for experience sharing and knowledge exchange.

“As Albert Einstein once said, ‘Knowledge is gained through experience,’” Dr Moyo quoted, underscoring the significance of the event.

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“This dialogue offers a formal, highprofile platform for sharing experiences in postal operations and regulation while fostering connections among key stakeholders.”

A parallel discussion at the African CEOs Forum, held under the theme “Empowering Africa’s Future Through Postal Innovation: Integration, Logistics, and Inclusive Socioeconomic Development in a Digital Era,” examined how postal services can leverage emerging technologies to accelerate digital transformation.

Participants emphasised the need for Africa’s postal sector to evolve through innovation and inclusivity to meet the needs of a rapidly digitising continent.

Dr Moyo noted that the conference’s themes align closely with Agenda 2063: “The Africa We Want”, a strategic framework set by the African Union, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), both of which emphasise inclusive growth and technological advancement.

Another key focus was the theme of the 7th Regulatory Forum: “Regulatory, Technical and Financial Challenges of Postal Service Financing, and Outlook.”

This discussion stemmed from a PAPU Secretariat survey, which revealed that 78 per cent of Member States are currently unable to regularly cover the additional costs of providing universal postal services.

Moreover, only 7 per cent of countries have adopted cost accounting models an international standard for determining the net cost of such services.

“This forum provides an excellent opportunity for regulators and operators to develop joint strategies to close the postal divide and ensure service delivery reaches all populations, regardless of geographic location,” said Dr Moyo.

The event concluded with a renewed commitment to collaborative action, innovation and regulatory reform to ensure Africa’s postal services remain relevant, inclusive and sustainable in the digital age.