The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) says it has developed a National Digital Alphanumeric Postcode System to provide a reliable location data infrastructure for smarter government services.
The Postmaster-General of NIPOST, Mrs Tola Odeyemi, said this during the DevsInGovernment community programme organised by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy on Wednesday in Abuja.
Odeyemi said that the organisation was ready to launch the Postcode on Oct.1, to address challenges associated with identifying the precise locations of people, services, assets and opportunities across the country.
Newsextra24 reports that the programme, in collaboration with Galaxy Backbone, ONDi and NIPOST was tagged “Beyond the Postcode: Building Smarter Government with Location Data”.
She said location information was fundamental to several government activities, including service delivery, emergency response, infrastructure planning and the targeting of interventions.
According to her, government decisions often depend on knowing precisely where people and critical facilities are located.
She, however, said that such information was often incomplete, inconsistent or unavailable, making effective planning and service delivery difficult.
Odeyemi said that NIPOST was developing a national location layer that would enable homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, farms and public offices to be uniquely identified and referenced in digital systems.
She said that the initiative went beyond the traditional understanding of postcodes as tools primarily used for mail delivery.
“Location data now underpins e-commerce, financial services, emergency response, urban planning and much more,” she said.
The NIPOST boss said the availability of a reliable national location layer would make it easier to determine the beneficiaries of government programmes and the communities served by public facilities.
She said it would also help authorities identify the exact location of emergencies and determine gaps in roads, electricity and water infrastructure requiring investment.
Odeyemi said better location data would ultimately contribute to improved decision-making and better public services for citizens.
She said NIPOST deliberately engaged developers and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) professionals because of their role in building and maintaining government digital platforms.
According to her, developers understand how government systems work in practice, including where they fail and what is required to improve them.
She said ICT professionals would also play a critical role in integrating the national location infrastructure into digital platforms used by citizens and government agencies.
She described the engagement as a co-creation exercise rather than a one-way presentation, urging participants to challenge assumptions, explore possibilities and ask difficult questions.
Odeyemi expressed optimism that some of the most valuable applications of the national location infrastructure could emerge from discussions among developers and other stakeholders.
She thanked the ministry for bringing together professionals involved in building and operating government digital systems and urged participants to contribute to the development of a reliable national location layer.
