DUBAI, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Dubai-based courier Aramex ARMX.DU expects to purchase 2-3 firms in 2016, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

It will target Africa, Asia and United States for these acquisitions, Aramex chief executive Hussein Hachem told reporters at a company event.

The logistic firm's chief financial officer Bashar Obeid said Aramex had provisioned $12.5 million for incentives in 2015. These provisions could fall to about $5 million in 2016 and $2.5 million in 2017, Obeid added.

Aramex reported a 36 percent drop in fourth-quarter net profit earlier on Wednesday, a decline it blamed on a provision relating to an employee incentive scheme. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nD5N0ZU02D

Aramex last month said it bought Fastway Couriers' New Zealand and Australian business for NZ$125.28 million ($80.59 million). urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N15505O

(Reporting by David French, writing by Nadia Saleem; editing by Matt Smith) ((nadia.saleem@thomsonreuters.com; +97143664256; Reuters Messaging: nadia.saleem.thomsonreuteres@reuters.net))

Keywords: ARAMEX ACQUISITION/