FedEx Expands in West Africa
Courier industry giant, Fedex Red Star Express, says it is embarking on a fresh expansion scheme with a view to extending its business frontiers across West African sub-region. The company, as part of the on-going project has opened a new operational base in Cotonou, Benin Republic, as well as in Accra, Ghana to serve as experimental units of the scheme. Managing director and chief executive of the company, Mr Isaac Orolugbagbe, who disclosed this at the year 2000 Fedex Customer Contact Forum, said the company had commenced an aggressive training programme of its workforce towards building enough expertise to handle the projects in specified ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] countries. ‘These are new markets and these people don t even speak the same language with us. We are experimenting with one of the countries, and once we succeed in that, we just replicate in other countries.’ Although, he was unspecific as to the exact volume of investment made so far in the countries, he alluded, however, to claims of huge size spendings since the beginning of the scheme. ‘We are still spending. I can’t tell you the exact figures but I know we are still spending money. For businesses, it s a permanent thing,’ he stated, adding, ‘you must continue to expand your ability to take care of your clients’. Accessing the industry’s performance in the past year, the Fedex boss lamented the general state of infrastructural decay especially, inadequate supply of electricity and low productivity in the manufacturing sector all of which was inimical to growth of the industry. On the issue of non-registration of up-coming Courier companies by the Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST), the Fedex boss who also doubles as chairman of the Courier Association said, discussions were on-going between NIPOST and the executive body of the Association on the need to accommodate the various groups for better performance of the industry.” (Source: Vanguard/AllAfrica Media, Clifford Amuzuo reporting)
