Nigeria's new digital postcode system, launched on October 1, 2026, assigns an 11-character code to each addressable building, enabling residents to locate their homes online. However, the appearance of homeowners' names in some address records has raised questions about what the platform displays. Here is how to check your name and home address using the NIPOST portal.
Why Some Homeowners' Names Appear in NIPOST Records
NIPOST's postmaster-general, Tola Odeyemi, explained that names appear in certain records because field workers captured informal addresses as residents commonly described them. In communities without clear street names or house numbers, a property may be identified by its owner's name.
According to TheCable's reporting, the platform supports searches using places, postcodes and aliases, with some homeowners' names searchable where they form part of recorded addresses. This does not mean every Nigerian's name appears on the system, according to TheCable.
Steps to Check Your Address on the Official NIPOST Platform
Visit postcode.gov.ng and select "Find my postcode." Alternatively, use the NIPOST Postcode app, which the official website lists as available for Android and iOS. Follow any registration or verification prompts presented before proceeding to the search interface. TheCable reported completing registration and verification when accessing the application. Have your house number, street name, neighbourhood and other useful location details ready to help distinguish your property from similarly named places.
Search Your Address and Inspect the Result
In the app, select "Search postcode or alias" and enter your address information. Choose the matching result, then inspect the building highlighted on the satellite map. Compare nearby roads, neighbouring properties and recognisable landmarks before accepting the result. A valid postcode for the house next door is still the wrong postcode for your home.
To check whether your name appears, examine the address description attached to your building. You can also try searching your name if it is commonly used locally to identify the property. A failed name search does not establish that the building is missing.
Use Your Location to Find Your Building
If you are at home, select "Find My Postcode" in the app and allow location access when prompted. The app displays your position and nearby mapped buildings. Select your building's marker to retrieve its postcode. NIPOST's guide stresses that users must choose the correct building themselves. The app does not automatically give them the nearest building's postcode.
Correct Errors or Request a Missing Postcode
If information about your building is inaccurate, NIPOST says you can suggest an edit through the app. Where no postcode exists, request one through the website or app, supplying your address, location or a Google Maps link for review.
Finding, saving and sharing an individual postcode is free. The code identifies the building rather than its occupants, so residents who relocate will use their new building's code. Households sharing one building can therefore use the same postcode alongside their written addresses.
How to Locate Your New Home Address
Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government has announced that Nigeria's new Alphanumeric Postcode System will become operational nationwide from October 1, 2026, giving every home and building a unique digital address. The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, announced the development in a statement on X, describing it as a major step towards building a digitally connected Nigeria.
