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Two new tools to provide an efficient and more effective addressing system for postal service delivery in Nigeria by NIPOST may have begun the postal company drive to re-engineering its future.
The new Digital Addressing System (DAS) and Address Verification System (AVS) offers a new window for proper addressing of any location within the country and also an effective means at verifying specific addresses and locations. DAS is an ultra-specific address system for Nigeria and usable anywhere in Nigeria; it allows a specific person or user to claim addresses and share same with family, friends, emergency services, or other persons or institution. DAS has over 330 billion addressable locations in its portfolio within a 3 by 3 square addresses scheme, and so provides every house in Nigeria with a unique digital address.
AVS on the other hand provides the platform for addresses to be verified by going to the location to confirm the location as true to their DAS entries. Just like the Google location or address directory, AVS works under a mass participatory scheme in which case, Nigerians themselves can help the system to verify these addresses and even earn reward points or cash payments for this.
Post-Master General (PMG) of NIPOST, Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi said NIPOST was partnering public agencies like Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigeria Identity Management Commission, and Federal Road Safety Commission. NIPOST will also be working with private companies like the banks, courier enterprises, and telcos among others. and banks, on the project.
Architecture ensure we know where everybody lives
“Government has come up with an architecture that will ensure that we know where everybody lives…. And, the service is capable of assisting us in the fight against terrorism because terrorists are not spirits, they live somewhere, So, if we know where they live by virtue of the technology we are going to deplore, it simply means we know where you are and you cannot cause us any harm,” Adegbuyi told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
In his extensive interview with NAN, Adegbuyi said that NIPOST was mindful of the importance of addressing in the quest for national development, hence its readiness to carry out the project.
His words: “Permit me to quote the World Bank in 2005 when it said that street addressing is the critical medium for ensuring that citizens have access to their civic right and responsibilities.
“Apart from that, people tend to look at addresses from the angle of mail delivery; that is just an integral part of it. Addressing has grown to become a very critical national infrastructure.
“Without addressing, you can’t do proper planning, management of your security and identity infrastructure is also very important.
“Nigeria Immigration Service that is supposed to issue passport for you must know where you live. Corporate Affairs Commission that registers companies in Nigeria must also know the addresses of the promoters of the companies.
“Under the KYC responsibility which is the statutory responsibility on the part of the banks when new banks accounts are opened for you, you are supposed to know the addresses of the people who would be opening and operating the account.
“The KYC responsibility also extends to issuance of SIM cards by telecommunications companies.”
