Nigeria launches National Digital Alphanumeric Postcode System

The Nigerian government has launched the National Digital Alphanumeric Postcode System to improve location identification and service delivery across the country. Managed by the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), the new system assigns a unique 11-character, GIS-enabled digital postcode to every addressable building.

Unlike previous systems that identified broad geographic areas, this new framework narrows locations down from the state or Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to specific local government areas, districts, and individual buildings. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, stated that the initiative aims to address fundamental infrastructure weaknesses that contribute to annual losses estimated between N50 billion and N80 billion due to missed or failed deliveries.

The system is intended to support the e-commerce ecosystem by reducing logistics costs and failed deliveries. Additionally, the government expects the precise addressing to enhance emergency response times, improve security, and facilitate the delivery of essential public services and financial services.