Nigeria has taken another major step towards developing a digitised and modern national addressing system, following the ratification of a preliminary implementation framework by the National Addressing Council (NAC).
The decision was reached at a meeting of the NAC in Abuja chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, with representatives of key government agencies and private-sector stakeholders in attendance.
Science Ministry to coordinate implementation
Under the new arrangement, the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation will serve as the secretariat of the National Addressing Council.
The ministry will coordinate technical implementation, systems integration, interoperability and the development of standards needed to establish a unified national addressing framework.
Vice President Shettima said Nigeria needs an addressing system capable of accurately locating citizens, businesses and communities across the country.
He stressed that a modern address is more than simply describing where someone lives. It provides a critical connection between citizens, businesses and government services.
NIMC, CAC and NIPOST get key responsibilities
The new framework assigns specific responsibilities to several government institutions.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will be responsible for individual address verification and authentication, while the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) will support the verification of business addresses.
The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) will remain responsible for postcode administration and postal infrastructure. States and local governments are also expected to drive implementation at the community level.
Other agencies, including NITDA, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Office of the National Security Adviser, Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigerian Communications Commission, are expected to contribute within their respective mandates.
What a digital address system could change
A reliable national digital addressing system could have significant implications for Nigerians and businesses.
Government believes that connecting verified identities with verified physical addresses could improve financial inclusion, logistics, emergency response, social intervention programmes, urban planning and public-service delivery.
For businesses, particularly e-commerce and logistics companies, accurate addresses could reduce delivery challenges and make it easier to locate customers across urban and rural communities.
The system could also assist emergency agencies in reaching people more quickly when accurate location information is required.
Privacy remains a key consideration
While pushing for greater digital integration, the government says privacy must not be compromised.
The proposed framework is expected to connect the national addressing system with digital identity databases and other government infrastructure while maintaining appropriate safeguards around citizens’ information.
The development comes as Nigeria continues broader efforts to establish a GIS-enabled alphanumeric digital postcode system, which is intended to improve location accuracy nationwide and strengthen logistics, e-commerce and public-service delivery.
A potential boost for Nigeria’s digital economy
A functional national addressing system could become an important piece of infrastructure for Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
From online shopping and financial services to emergency response and government planning, the ability to accurately identify where people and businesses are located could improve how services are delivered across the country.
The government now faces the challenge of translating the newly approved framework into a system that works consistently across Nigeria’s cities, towns and rural communities.
OnPointGist will continue to monitor developments around Nigeria’s digital transformation and national addressing reforms.
