Step-by-step guide on how to check new digital postcode of your house in Nigeria

The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has introduced  a new digital postcode system that allows residents to identify the postcode attached to a specific building or location.

Unlike simply identifying the postcode of a neighbourhood, the new system allows users to check the code associated with an individual addressable building. This means that two houses located next to each other can have different digital postcodes.

Checking the postcode of your house requires more than simply entering the name of your street. You need to identify the correct building on the map before retrieving the code attached to it. 

The process is completed through the Postcode app using your phone’s location and the map provided by the service.

In this article, Tribune Online highlights how to check the digital postcode of your house through the official website and the Postcode app.

Step-by-step guide on how to check your digital postcode through the website

Step 1: Visit the official Postcode website

Open your phone or computer browser and visit postcode.gov.ng. Once the website loads, look for the option to find your postcode. Select the postcode search feature to begin. The website provides different ways to locate the building whose postcode you want to check.

Step 2: Choose how you want to locate your house

The website gives you different options for finding a particular building. You can use your current location, enter the address manually or  provide a Google Maps location link. The option you choose depends on where you are and how easily you can identify the building.

Step 3: Use your current location

If you are standing at the house whose postcode you want to check, the location option is one of the easiest methods. Turn on your phone’s location service and allow the website to access your location when prompted. The system uses your location to identify the area and display the buildings around you on the map.

Once the map loads, check the buildings carefully before selecting one. Remember that the purpose of this step is not simply to identify your street. You need to select the particular building where you are standing.

Step 4: Enter your address manually

You can also locate the building by entering its address. Provide the relevant details, including the street, area and state. After entering the information, submit the search and check the map that appears.

Where several buildings are displayed, compare their positions with what you know about the area. For example, check the road your house is located on and the buildings surrounding it. This helps you distinguish your house from nearby buildings with similar addresses.

Step 5: Use a Google Maps link

Another option is to use the location link of the building from Google Maps. Open Google Maps and locate the house you want to check. Once you have identified the building, copy its location link.

Return to the Postcode website and paste the Google Maps link into the appropriate search field. The website then uses the location information to identify the building on its map.

This option is particularly useful when you are checking the postcode of a house you are not physically standing at.

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Step 6: Select the exact building on the map

After locating the area, carefully examine the map. Several buildings can appear close to one another, particularly in estates, densely populated neighbourhoods and areas with shops or offices. Identify the exact building you want and click or tap its marker.

Selecting the correct building is important because the digital postcode is linked to the specific addressable building. For example, if four houses are next to each other on the same street, selecting the first house does not give you the postcode of the second, third or fourth house.

Step 7: Check the 11-character postcode

After selecting the building, the website displays the digital postcode assigned to that location. The new postcode is an 11-character alphanumeric code, such as FC 09 D21 AJ 009.

Check the code carefully before copying it.

Also confirm that the building you selected is the correct one. If the map shows several houses close together, return to the map and verify the position before using the code.

Step 8: Copy and save the postcode

Once you have confirmed that the postcode belongs to your house, copy it. Save it somewhere you can easily access later, especially if you regularly fill out forms, receive deliveries or provide your address to other people. The digital postcode can be used alongside your normal address details rather than replacing the rest of your address.

Step 1: Download and open the Postcode app

 Download the official app from the Google Play Store and then open the Postcode app on your phone. Once the app opens, look for the option labelled “Find My Postcode” and tap on it.

The feature helps you locate the postcode attached to your current building. Since it uses your phone’s location, the app asks for permission to access your location. If the app requests location permission, allow it so that it can determine where you are.

After your location is detected, the app takes you to a map showing your current area. At this stage, do not immediately select the first building or marker you see. The important part of the process is identifying your exact house.

Step 2: Allow the app to locate your area

Once location access is granted, give the app a moment to load the map. The map provides an overhead view of the area around you. Depending on where you live, you see several buildings, roads and other structures close to one another.This is particularly important in places where houses are built closely together.

For example, if you live in an estate, you see several buildings that look almost identical. Similarly, in a densely populated neighbourhood, your house can be surrounded by other houses, shops, offices or compounds. Your phone’s location helps you get to the correct area. It does not mean that you should select a building without checking its position.

Step 3: Identify your house on the map

This is the most important part of the process.

Look carefully at the buildings displayed on the map and compare their positions with the actual surroundings. Try to identify landmarks and structures that help you distinguish your house from nearby buildings.

For instance, you can recognise your house because it is next to a particular building or directly beside a road or at the corner of a street or behind another building.You do not need to rely on the appearance of the house itself. Instead, look at its position in relation to nearby roads and buildings.

 If you are standing in front of your house, compare what you see around you with what appears on the map. Take your time at this stage because selecting the wrong building gives you the postcode of another address.

Step 4: Select the exact building

After identifying your house, tap the building on the map. The selection brings up information connected to that particular building, including its digital postcode. This is where the building-level nature of the new system becomes important.

For example, imagine four houses standing next to one another on the same street. They all use the same street name and share the same general neighbourhood, but the digital postcode displayed when you select one house differs from the code displayed for another.

Therefore, simply knowing your street or neighbourhood is not enough if you want the postcode of your specific house. The objective is to select your building, not merely a point close to your house.

Step 5: Check the postcode displayed

After tapping the building, check the information displayed by the app. The postcode shown corresponds to the building you selected.

Before copying it, look at the map again and make sure the selected location is actually your house.This is especially useful if several buildings are close together.

Step 6: Confirm that it is your house

Before using the postcode, perform one final check. Look at the selected building and compare it with your actual location. If your house is beside a major road, for example, confirm that the building you selected has the same position relative to that road.

If your house is inside an estate, compare the surrounding buildings and roads. If you live in a compound containing several structures, make sure you have selected the building associated with your own address rather than another structure within the compound. This extra check is important because a digital postcode attached to the wrong building does not represent your actual address.

Step 7: Copy the postcode

Once you are satisfied that you selected the correct building, copy the postcode displayed by the app. You can then use it wherever a digital postcode is required.

Instead of typing the code manually, copying it directly reduces the possibility of making a mistake, especially where the postcode contains several characters. You can paste the copied code into a form, message, online registration page or any other place where you need to provide your address information.