Abuja:The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has announced the development of a National Digital Alphanumeric Postcode System aimed at providing a reliable location data infrastructure to enhance government services.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Postmaster-General of NIPOST, Mrs. Tola Odeyemi, made this announcement during the DevsInGovernment community programme organized by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in Abuja. The new postcode system is set to launch on October 1, addressing challenges related to identifying precise locations of people, services, assets, and opportunities across Nigeria.
Odeyemi emphasized the importance of location information for several government activities, including service delivery, emergency response, infrastructure planning, and targeted interventions. She noted that government decisions often require accurate knowledge of the locations of people and critical facilities, but such information is frequently incomplete or unavailable, hindering effective planning and service delivery.
NIPOST is creating a national location layer that will uniquely identify and reference homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, farms, and public offices in digital systems. This initiative expands the traditional use of postcodes beyond mail delivery to include significant roles in e-commerce, financial services, emergency response, and urban planning.
The availability of a reliable national location layer is expected to facilitate the identification of beneficiaries of government programs, determine community service areas of public facilities, and pinpoint exact locations of emergencies. It will also assist in identifying infrastructure gaps in roads, electricity, and water systems requiring investment.
Odeyemi highlighted the role of developers and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) professionals in building and maintaining government digital platforms. Their understanding of government systems’ practical workings is crucial for integrating the national location infrastructure into digital platforms used by citizens and government agencies.
She described the engagement with developers as a co-creation exercise, encouraging participants to question assumptions and explore possibilities. Odeyemi expressed optimism that valuable applications of the national location infrastructure could emerge from these discussions, and she appreciated the ministry’s efforts in bringing together professionals for this initiative.