The volume of letters processed by La Poste Group has fallen by 70% over the past 18 years. At the same time, parcel volumes, driven in part by e-commerce, have risen sharply. These developments are not only a challenge for the French postal operator, but reflect a global trend. How can postal operators respond to these changing user behaviours while continuing to ensure seamless, cost-efficient communication between citizens? To discuss these questions and share best practices, twenty directors of African postal operators met at La Poste’s headquarters in Paris from 15 to 17 April 2025 for a triangular exchange organized by the Direction des Relations Européennes et Internationales (DREI) and the UPU.
Navigating change and regulation as shared challenges in the postal sectorParticularly lively discussions followed a presentation on the liberalization and regulation of network industries by La Poste’s Director of Regulation and Studies. In many countries, postal services have long been considered classical state monopolies tasked with ensuring affordable communication nationwide. The absence of competition has often slowed innovation and the development of new services. Gradual liberalization has sought to remedy this, but also requires state regulation, as markets alone cannot safeguard all public interests. Many national postal operators today view state-imposed obligations as increasingly burdensome: they must reconcile their public service mission with the need for economic sustainability, despite the fact that traditional postal products such as letter mail are in sharp decline.
Several participants shared that postal concerns are often neglected by political decision-makers in their countries. Regulatory bodies tend to focus on telecommunications, while the challenges faced by postal operators receive little attention. In some cases, this neglect even takes concrete form, as representatives of certain countries reported being forced to vacate their premises in favour of other departments considered more important by their governments.
At the same time, discussions also turned to the new competitive pressures facing postal operators, particularly in the area of financial services. Participants noted that Posts are confronted not only with regulatory constraints, but also with increasing competition from global tech platforms and new digital players offering payment services, identity solutions or insurance, often without the same regulatory responsibilities or public service obligations as national Posts.
Hybrid and digital models as key strategies for adapting change
Some of the solutions presented in Paris illustrated how postal operators can navigate these tensions. La Poste demonstrated how it meets regulatory obligations, such as territorial coverage, through increasingly flexible approaches, but without compromising the universal service. This includes hybrid partnership models with businesses or public authorities such as “Point La Poste” (postal counters integrated into partner businesses, equipped with self-service terminals), France Service and digital advisory teams that ensure nationwide access to digital and administrative services.
La Poste also showed how digitalization can serve as an instrument for adapting to a changing sector. Topics included the development of instant payment systems, mobile payments and interoperable solutions, as well as strategies for meeting new regulatory requirements. These digital innovations not only improve efficiency, but also help safeguard the relevance of postal operators in competition with major tech platforms and fintechs.
One particularly illustrative example of digital innovation is Digiposte, a digital service for sharing, archiving and managing documents electronically and securely. Operated by Docaposte, La Poste’s subsidiary for trusted digital services, Digiposte functions as a secure digital vault for citizens, where personal documents can be stored and managed long-term. In addition to this personal use, La Poste offers certified archiving solutions for legally binding documents such as electronic registered mail, digital contracts or official records required by authorities and businesses. These documents are securely archived for 10 years in compliance with applicable regulations, and can serve as valid legal proof in disputes. This service addresses a key need in digital transition: to replace the loss of traditional paper records with secure digital alternatives while ensuring legal certainty. Among the African postal directors, who repeatedly voiced their desire for trustworthy, standardized digital solutions, this model was perceived as particularly relevant.
However, these advancements are not without their limitations: both in France and in African countries, a significant proportion of the population remains digitally excluded. Digital inclusion is therefore essential to make these solutions accessible to customers, as they can only help address the challenges of changing conditions in the postal sector if they are actually used.
The event in Paris provided a vivid example of triangular and South-South cooperation with tangible benefits for both sides. The African directors expressed their appreciation of the diversity of solutions presented and the openness of the exchanges. Particularly valuable was not only the focus on technologies and best practices, but also the shared reflection on political realities, systemic limitations and feasibility. This open dialogue on structural barriers, national specificities and regulatory challenges was described by many participants as being enriching. For La Poste, too, the exchange proved fruitful: these personal encounters help foster mutual understanding, strengthen relations with African postal operators, and offer valuable insights for the further development of their own digital solutions. Moreover, encounters like this generate synergies and strengthen the postal community at a time of profound change.
This article first appeared in Union Postale Summer 2025