NIPOST Moves to Go Cashless by July 2025, But Nigerians Say Theft by Staff Remains the Bigger Problem

The Nigeria Postal Service (NIPost) has announced that it will stop receiving cash payments to all of its post offices nationwide starting July 1, 2025, in one step it says is part of a sweeping modernization effort aimed at restoring trust, transparency enhancement, and aligning global best practice.

“All post offices across the country will stop receiving cash. Customers will transact using approved electronic payment channels,” Postmaster-General and CEO, Tola Odeyemi, said in a media briefing on Tuesday. “This transition improves security, transparency, and aligned with global best practice.”

Odeyemi described the transition as a major milestone in Nipost's efforts to rebuild from people who have no excellence and distrust of the public.

“We are not just rebranding. We are rebuilding,” he said, adding that the agency has strengthened its coherence channels to ensure that the Nigerians have a voice in its change.

He also announced that a new reward and recognition system has been introduced to encourage performance to staff, in conjunction with strict disciplinary measures to deal with behavior that disrupts institutional integrity.

The other rot: a culture of theft

While the unpaid payment policy is accepted by some Nigerians as a way to hinder extensive corruption and underhand deal involving cash in post offices, many citizens say that the basic decay in the institution lies deeper, specifically, in stealing packages of nipost staff.

Throughout the social media platforms, the Nigerians have expressed doubt that removal of cash will only improve the quality of the nipost service. Many customers say staff theft remains the main plague that destroys the institution's reputation and prevents its growth.

“Received items from the states just to go to pick it up at the post-office and realize they stole everything there, keeping the pack inside the box and taping it back,” a user named Francis was mourning X last month.

For years, the Nigerians shared similar stories of receiving empty boxes, tampered parcels, and missing items, even when the packages were strictly sealed. In most cases, the victims say there is little responsibility or a reduction from the nipost.

“Hello @tola_odeyemi I would like to notice the issue of theft that is happening under the organization you are leading, “a post of a Nigerian last week.” My items shipped from the UK to Nigeria were to be used, the items stolen, left to be eaten by rodents. I just don't understand. “

The stories have often been that many Nigerians now avoid the agency completely when sending or receiving important parcels, who choose instead of patronizing private courier services despite higher charges.

Moving to those without cash operations, which can help reduce small bribery and change of payments, is just a little to address the more harmful issues of theft, critics say. While Odeyemi emphasizes discipline and performance, he does not provide a direct assurance that the issue of stolen goods is actively investigated or punished.

The nipost, which operates under the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, insists on maintaining a relationship with Nigeria's rapidly growing digital and logistics space. Most of the parcel delivery market is lost to Nimble private courier operators, which not only delivers faster but also offers better monitoring systems and security guarantees.

In 2023, communication minister Bosun Tijani called on the Nigerians to suggest ways to restore the agency. Some of the most popular suggestions include changing nipost in a backbone infrastructure, such as the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), for the logistic industry, which supports licensed courier companies on trade power and e-commerce transmission nationwide. Others have suggested that the nipost is deeply integrated into online shopping platforms to improve delivery and credibility experiences.

But these ideas, the observers say, cannot be materialize unless the lack of trust is addressed.

The dispute of dispute duties has been fixed – for now

Odeyemi also clarified Nipost's position in its long -standing battle with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Fires) on stamp roles. He confirmed that the nipost was not authorized to collect stamp duties, ending a legal and bureaucratic standoff which has led to confusion for many years.

“Our duty is to provide seal stamps, the legal instruments used to prove the documents and indicate the payment of the duty. The responsibility for collecting stamp duties lies only in the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Fires),” he said.

The clarification brings a close dispute that once seen both agencies put a claim to the same income stream. This led to the resignation of institutional mandates and bad blood. Although the firs eventually maintained the paper, Nipost's previous forcing the stamp roles were seen by some as a desperate attempt to remain financially to live in the face of rejection of the relationship.

Public doubt remains high

Despite the optimistic tones and reforms of the postmaster-general, the Nigerians remain unbelievable that the institution can recover its credentials without addressing the robbery that has been synonymous with its brand.

With less than three months throughout the Cashless System control, stakeholders said the agency should deal with deeper culture and operational failures that pushed customers if it was expected to play a significant role in Nigeria's logistics and e-commerce space.