The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has explained why some homeowners' names appear in addresses on its newly launched digital postcode platform, following a report highlighting the personal and property information accessible through the application.
Tola Odeyemi, postmaster-general and chief executive officer of NIPOST, said the names formed part of the addresses collected during fieldwork, particularly in communities where buildings are identified informally. Her explanation followed a report by TheCable detailing how the platform displays names associated with some properties and allows users to search for addresses using those names.
Why Names Appear in Some Addresses
Responding in a post on X, Odeyemi said data collectors recorded both formal addresses and the descriptions residents commonly use to identify buildings. "During ground data collection, we collected standard or informal addresses of buildings," she said.
According to her, informal addresses sometimes include an owner's name because that is how neighbours and occupants recognise the property. "So for informal addresses, they are often recorded as they're popularly described by locals — owners' names are often mentioned especially in the northern areas," she explained.
Odeyemi said this accounts for why names appear in certain locations rather than across every address on the platform. "So names only appear in addresses in specific locations because there's no other way the community and even the occupants know how to describe the house," she added.
Her clarification links the appearance of names to local addressing practices captured during data gathering. In such locations, a person's name serves as part of the description used to identify a building.
What the Digital Postcode Platform Shows
NIPOST launched the national digital alphanumeric postcode system on Thursday, introducing an 11-character code for addressable buildings across Nigeria. The initiative is designed to improve location identification, support service delivery and expand access to opportunities through a digital reference for individual buildings.
According to TheCable, users can search the application using place names, postcodes and aliases. The platform also displays information associated with some properties, including names contained in addresses, whether buildings are residential or non-residential, and architectural descriptions such as bungalows or duplexes. The report further noted that users could locate a homeowner's address by searching their name.
Odeyemi's response focused on how those names entered the address records, explaining that they reflected descriptions already used within the affected communities.
Digital Addressing Policy Takes Shape
The rollout follows the Federal Executive Council's approval of the national digital addressing policy and digital postcode system in March 2026. The government approved the initiative as part of Nigeria's digital public infrastructure, with more precise location identification expected to support its wider service-delivery goals.
In June, the federal government began engagements with security agencies, emergency response institutions and other stakeholders on the system. Officials highlighted potential applications in national security, public safety and service delivery, extending its intended use beyond postal operations.
The latest clarification explains an aspect of the rollout: while each building receives a digital identifier, the accompanying address information may include informal descriptions based on how communities identify their homes.
FG Begins NIN Integration for Every House in Nigeria
Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government has revived Nigeria's long-delayed digital postcode project and commenced its integration with the National Identification Number (NIN), a move expected to transform address verification, improve public service delivery and strengthen the country's digital identity system. The initiative was officially launched following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) in Abuja.
