The development was announced on Wednesday by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, in a statement shared via his official X account. According to the minister, the approval was granted by the council under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tijani explained that the new system forms part of broader efforts to achieve the targets outlined in the strategic blueprint of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. The initiative is expected to introduce a more precise and technology-driven approach to location identification across the country.
Under the plan, the ministry will collaborate with the Postmaster General of the Federation, Tola Odeyemi, and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) to roll out a geospatially intelligent addressing system capable of accurately identifying locations nationwide.
According to Tijani, the new framework will significantly improve the efficiency of postal operations by enabling faster and more reliable mail and parcel processing. The GIS-enabled system is designed to assign unique combinations of letters and numbers to specific geographic coordinates, ensuring that every address can be precisely identified.
Beyond strengthening postal services, the minister noted that the digital postcode framework will serve as an important national infrastructure tool. He said it will support improved national planning, enhance emergency response capabilities, and facilitate more efficient logistics and e-commerce operations.
The system is also expected to improve the delivery of government services by providing clearer location data that can be used by public agencies and private sector operators.
Nigeria’s expanding digital economy has long faced challenges related to inadequate addressing structures. In many communities, the absence of formal street names or building numbers has created difficulties for deliveries, navigation, security operations and access to essential services.
Officials say the new digital postcode initiative will address these gaps by creating a unified and technologically driven addressing framework that connects people, businesses and public services more efficiently.
The project builds on earlier groundwork undertaken by several government agencies, including geospatial mapping conducted by the National Population Commission during census preparations, as well as prior collaborations involving NIPOST.
With the latest approval by the Federal Executive Council, the initiative is expected to move from the planning stage into full implementation as part of Nigeria’s broader push to strengthen the infrastructure supporting its growing digital economy.