The Federal Government has announced plans to deploy the Nigerian Digital Postcode Initiative and a Smart National Transport Data Bank (SNTDB) as part of efforts to strengthen national security, public safety and institutional coordination across the country.
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) disclosed the initiative at a stakeholders’ session organised by the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in Abuja. According to ONSA, the new alphanumeric postcode system will improve the ability of security agencies to accurately identify and locate persons, places and incidents.
National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, said the initiative would enhance intelligence gathering, policing, emergency response, disaster management, border security and financial crime investigations. He noted that national security increasingly depends on the effective use of technology, data and innovation.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, described reliable addressing as a critical requirement for effective governance and security operations. He said the digital postcode system would eliminate ambiguities associated with traditional directions and complement ongoing investments in digital infrastructure, including the deployment of 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic backbone nationwide.
Tijani explained that while Nigeria has made significant progress in digital identity and electronic payments, it still lacks a comprehensive geospatial addressing system. He said the new platform would provide the missing layer needed to accurately identify and locate physical addresses, benefiting agencies such as the Police, DSS, EFCC, ICPC, Customs and Immigration Service.
The government also unveiled plans for the Smart National Transport Data Bank, a real-time transport monitoring platform to be managed by the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) in partnership with Asia Arab Investment Nigeria Ltd under a public-private partnership arrangement.
According to officials, the databank will provide real-time information on road, rail, air, sea and pipeline transportation, enabling better planning, traffic management, safety monitoring, cargo tracking and infrastructure development. The project’s pilot phase will cover Kaduna, Lagos, Nasarawa, Borno, Enugu and Edo states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, before expanding into a fully integrated national transport intelligence system.
