Addressing System Overhaul Vital For Service Delivery, Financial Inclusion – Shettima

The federal government has taken critical steps to reinvigorate the National Addressing Council (NAC) in a bid to address challenges associated with the addressing system in Nigeria.

Accordingly, a new NAC and a technical committee is to be inaugurated next year to drive the country’s agenda on planning, economic, and financial inclusion, as well as ensuring an effective national addressing system.

The decision was taken during a pre-meeting of the council chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the presidential villa.

Underscoring the need for the immediate standardisation of Nigeria’s addressing system, the vice president in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha described the move as essential for improving service delivery, enhancing urban planning, and driving economic growth.

Addressing stakeholders at the meeting, the VP noted that standardising Nigeria’s addressing system is long overdue, adding that it will end decades of infrastructural deficits and create a systematic approach to national address mapping.

He said, “We cannot solve the challenges of urban planning, service delivery, or even basic navigation unless we establish a system that creates order. A robust addressing system is not just about convenience but about national development, security, and socio-economic progress.”

The vice president decried the consequences of the current disorganised system, noting its impact on governance, logistics, and the financial inclusion of many Nigerians.

“We live in cities where most houses are either haphazardly numbered or not numbered at all.

This does more than complicate address mapping—it undermines trust in address verification, slows emergency responses, and excludes millions from financial services,” he explained.

VP Shettima praised the foundational work done seven years ago when the National Addressing System initiative was introduced, noting, however, that there is a need to move beyond frameworks to actionable implementation.

He continued: “This was not a vision to be left in dusty drawers or delayed indefinitely. Addressing this is fundamental to our aspirations of becoming a 21st-century economy.

“A standardised addressing system will enhance logistics, strengthen e-commerce, and foster trust in financial services. It will also enable accurate emergency response and disaster management, ensuring no Nigerian is left behind.

“The challenge before us is not about delegating responsibilities but creating a synergy that cuts across federal, state, and local governments. Political will and technical expertise must work hand in hand to make this initiative a success.”

The vice president further explained that the meeting marked the beginning of a transformative journey towards a Nigeria defined by order, trust, and opportunity.

“We are not just solving logistical challenges but laying the foundation for a more organised, secure, and prosperous Nigeria. This is our collective responsibility, and we must see it through,” he added.

The VP’s charge at the meeting was followed by two presentations from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).

Earlier in his remarks, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, the deputy chief of staff to the president (Office of the Vice President), said the meeting’s focus was to galvanise the federal government’s renewed efforts in driving economic and financial inclusion, among other targets.

He said leveraging opportunities in the National Addressing System would fast-track the government’s vision of attaining inclusivity and economic prosperity, especially for Nigerians in rural areas.

The National Identity Management Commission presentation focused on enhancing the nation’s address verification system and building a critical infrastructure for the national addressing database project.

NIPOST’s overview of the National Addressing System highlighted the work done by the current management and stressed the need to harmonise the address database in Nigeria.

The NIPOST presentation focused more on harmonising the postcode with the national addressing system and deploying the latest technology, particularly geo-locating the physical addresses of Nigerians captured in the project.

The minister of state for housing and urban development, Hon Yusuf Abdullahi Ata. The director general of NIMC, Engr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the postmaster general of the federation/CEO, Engr Omotola Odeyemi, representatives of Moniepoint, Konga, and other stakeholders in the fintech, e-commerce, and identity management sectors were present at the meeting.