The Federal Government has launched the National Digital Alphanumeric Postcode System, assigning unique digital postcodes to addressable buildings across Nigeria.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced the launch on Thursday, urging Nigerians to search for their postcodes and begin using them for personal, business and official purposes.
According to the minister, the new system is designed to make locations across the country easier to identify while improving access to services and opportunities.
The system, operated by the Nigerian Postal Service, assigns a unique 11-character digital postcode to every addressable building in the country.
Unlike conventional location descriptions that may depend on street names, landmarks or other physical references, the new postcode system provides a standardised, Geographic Information System-enabled reference for identifying specific locations.
Tijani said the system would have practical applications for individuals, businesses and government agencies.
He explained that businesses would be able to reach customers beyond their immediate neighbourhoods, while families could use the codes to provide more accurate locations during emergencies.
Government agencies, he added, could also use the system to identify communities and improve the delivery of essential public services.
“Every Nigerian deserves to be found. Every business deserves the chance to reach its customers. And every community deserves to be within reach of opportunity,” Tijani said.
The minister linked the initiative to the Federal Government’s broader digital infrastructure agenda, saying reliable location data was necessary for expanding economic participation and improving the delivery of services.
Tijani said the development was also part of the infrastructure required to support President Bola Tinubu’s ambition of growing the Nigerian economy to $1tn.
“As we work towards (President Bola Tinubu’s) ambition for a $1 trillion economy, we must build the foundations that allow more Nigerians to participate, trade and prosper. This is one of those foundations,” he said.
The postcode system categorises locations across five levels: state, local government area, district, area and building.
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The building-level identification means that individual addressable structures can have their own unique digital code, allowing locations to be identified more precisely.
Tijani urged Nigerians to visit the official Digital Postcode website to search for their codes and share them with family members, friends and businesses that may need accurate location information.
The initiative is expected to support sectors that depend heavily on accurate addressing, including e-commerce, logistics, emergency response and public service delivery.
The Nigerian Postal Service had earlier said the digital postcode system would provide a standard reference for locations and help improve the efficiency of deliveries and other location-based services.
With the system, the government is seeking to establish a more consistent digital addressing framework that can be used by individuals, businesses and public institutions across the country.
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Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
