FG to unveil digitised post code system in 2022

Federal Government has completed digitisation of the old analogue postcode, and before the second half of 2022, Nigeria will have a full-fledged digitised system.

It has also almost completed unbundling of Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) into NIPOST Property and Development Company and NIPOST Logistics Company. The management of the two subsidiaries will be in place before the end of the month.

Postmaster General of the Federation, Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi, who disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday, said NIPOST entered into a partnership with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) to enhance postal service delivery, stressing that the country will witness rapid transformation in the digital system this year.

He said the new system is being developed as a strategic infrastructure for national development and will facilitate mail handling, identify locations precisely, ensure consistency in address-related databases and enable efficient services in government agencies, financial institutions and businesses in a consistent manner.

He said: “In a bid to expand the frontiers of NIPOST products and services, an agreement was signed with eGATE of Egypt on digital transformation. With this agreement, job opportunities will be created. It will also help to address the infrastructure gap in the organisation, as well as reposition NIPOST on the path of full digitisation.”

Highlighting some of the initiatives NIPOST explored to boost business and enhance operations, Adewusi said within the period in review, African Development Bank (AfDB) partnered with his agency to drive agricultural transformation with the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative.

“The objective is to produce large stocks of marketable products using NIPOST’s warehousing, logistics and financial services. This initiative we, as an organisation, seek to explore to contribute to the economic development of the country, while also expanding our revenue base.”

He added: “The quantum leap in e-commerce necessitated drastic measures to cope with the surge in parcels/packet deliveries. NIPOST collaborated with a number of private transporters and logistics companies, like Speedaf, to ensure seamless deliveries.

“In last two years, some of our post offices have been transformed into smart post offices. These include Eruwa, Awe, Omu-Aran, Gombe, Osogbo, Ogbomoso, Ado Ekiti, and Enugu post offices. We want to transform the post offices into hubs, a one-stop-shop, where citizens can access a number of e-government services, like applying for driver’s licence, international passport and National Identification Number registration, etc.”