Appraisal of the Nigerian Postal Service’s compliance with the Universal Postal Convention: Challenges and prospects

This study investigates the compliance of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) with the provisions of the Universal Postal Convention with a view to assessing the barriers hindering full compliance and options for enhanced conformity. The research problem arises from the seeming lacunae within Nigeria’s international obligations under the Convention and domestic management patterns of NIPOST which have led to inefficiencies, non-compliance, and uncompetitiveness of international postal standards. The research aims to inquire into the levels of compliance by NIPOST, analyze legal and institutional barriers hindering the same, and propose meaningful reform. Through a doctrinal research methodology, this research analyzes relevant international documents, domestic legislation, policy documents, and scholarly publications. Finding reveal that while NIPOST has made some attempts at compliance with some parts of the provisions of the Universal Postal Convention, it is plagued with uncertainties of regulation, insufficiency of infrastructure, under-financing, and poor integration of technology, which aggregate to preclude efficient implementation. The research proposes across-the-board legal reforms for harmonization of Nigeria’s postal legislation with international standards, higher financial investments by the state for postal infrastructures, and institutional reform to improve NIPOST’s capability to implement its treaty obligations effectively.