The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Population Commission (NPC) to adopt a modern and standardised Postcode that will help security agencies in Nigeria respond faster to emergencies to reduce banditry, kidnapping, internet scams and other crimes.
Postmaster General, Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi made this known while briefing journalists in Abuja yesterday.
According to him, the digitalised postcode will also facilitate ease of doing business as well as foster an effective healthcare delivery system among others.
He said, “The present effort is aimed at transitioning the system to a digital platform to create more efficiency and functionality. Of a certainty, such an advanced addressing system will promote the proper functioning of not just the Postal sector.
It is a critical infrastructure for meeting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty reduction, disease control and provision of basic services such as water and electricity.
It remains a critical national infrastructure, especially in a developing country like ours where lack of street names and property numbering hinder the ability to meet public and business expectations.
“The relentless drive to use new technologies and latest digital solutions, to manage operations more efficiently, at less cost, increased productivity, and better quality of service, is a major challenge for managers, especially in a large and complex networked industry that delivers a wide range of products and services.
“With the cooperation and support of the National Population Commission, we embarked on the process of enhancing the Postcode, leveraging technology. We drew up entities in a manner that ensures every part of the country is effectively captured, using a systematic framework of alpha-numeric characters from the State, Local Government Areas, Postcode Districts, Postcode Areas and Postcode Units.
“Key benefits of the postcode system include: Better sorting, delivery of mail and postal services; better response to emergencies by security agencies, thereby reducing crimes like banditry, kidnapping, Internet scams.
Other benefits listed were; effective revenue and tax collections; utility bills distribution; enabling entrepreneurs or private business owners to have effective interaction with their clients among others.
Adewusi further noted that the synergy between NIPOST and NPC has led to his organisation’s participation in the updating of Enumeration Area Delineation (EAD) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with the objective of gaining better appreciation of the use of satellite imageries and maps to generate field data, which has proved useful in the further development of the Postcode.
Also speaking, NPC Chairman Mr. Nasir expressed the Commission’s support for the initiative and added that the data collected by the NPC over the years, will assist NIPOST in executing the new project.
“Today, Nigeria like many other African countries lacks a proper addressing system and the country loses out on its economic, social and many other salient advantages considering its population. This gap has to be bridged by creating the much needed state of the art delivery services to the general public within the country, as such the importance of this project cannot be overemphasized.
“The National Population Commission is delighted to share our data set as primary data for the creation of the postcode area, postcode districts and other entities and to design a digitalized postcode framework to facilitate the sorting and transmission of mall delivery and improve National addressing standards.
“Today, we are documenting and developing the scope of collaboration in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which describes the bilateral agreement between us, indicating our common line of action and all terms of reference are highlighted therein.” He stated.