Nigeria's new postcode is a code for one building, launched by NIPOST nationwide in October 2026. Find yours on postcode.gov.ng or in the NIPOST Postcode app.
What the new postcode is
The Federal Government launched the National Digital Alphanumeric Postcode System through the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST). It gives homes, businesses, farms, schools, offices and other addressable locations a code made of letters and numbers. NIPOST describes it as an 11-character code.
The code belongs to the building. It does not belong to a person. If you move to a new building, you use the postcode of your new place. Several people in one building can share the same code, and the code says nothing about who you are.
How to find your building's postcode
Use postcode.gov.ng or the NIPOST Postcode app. There are two main ways to find a code.
If you are at the building:
- Open the app and tap Find My Postcode.
- Allow the app to use your phone's location if it asks.
- Look at the satellite map. It shows where you are and marks the mapped buildings around you.
- Tap the building you need. Its postcode appears on screen.
The app does not choose the nearest building for you. You pick the building yourself, so compare the map with what you can see around you.
If you are somewhere else:
- Use the search box and enter an address, a place, a business name or an alias.
- Pick the result that matches. The app opens it on the map and highlights the building.
- Check the highlighted building against nearby roads and neighbouring buildings.
You can also search with an existing postcode.
Check you picked the right building before you paste the code into a form. The building next door has a different code, and a valid code for the wrong building is still the wrong code.
How to read a postcode
NIPOST gives this example: FC 02 A09 DB 09.
You read it from left to right, from the widest area to the individual building. The levels are state, LGA, district, area and building. The first two characters are the state or territory. FC is the Federal Capital Territory.
You do not need to memorise the whole code. NIPOST says you only need to remember the last four characters.
Some NIPOST examples show a longer final block than others. Copy the code exactly as the app displays it, and do not trim or retype it from memory.
The old six-digit code and the new one
A conventional six-digit postcode covers a broad postal area. The new code points to a specific building.
NIPOST says the new postcode works alongside your address and does not replace it. Keep writing your street, estate, town and city, then add the postcode. NIPOST's own example puts the written address first and the postcode on its own line after it.
We have not found a NIPOST statement that the six-digit code has been withdrawn, so this page does not say so.
If your building has no postcode
Never guess a postcode or borrow a neighbour's code. Each building has its own.
If the lookup does not find your building, you can request a postcode on postcode.gov.ng or in the app. Use your current location to help identify the building, or give its address or a Google Maps link. NIPOST reviews the request and assigns a postcode to the building.
Postcodes for school forms
For a school form, write your full address as usual and add the building postcode if you have it. We do not know whether banks, JAMB or schools require the new postcode on their forms yet. Follow what the form asks for.
For the DELSU case, including the six-digit code used for Abraka, see our guide to the DELSU postal code and the new digital postcode. The DELSU guide covers the university itself.
Frequently asked questions
What is Nigeria's new digital postcode?
It is a code of letters and numbers that identifies one building. NIPOST describes it as an 11-character code and launched it as a nationwide system in October 2026.
How do I find my postcode?
Go to postcode.gov.ng or open the NIPOST Postcode app. Search an address, place, business name or alias, or use your current location and tap the right building on the map. The app does not pick the nearest building for you, so check the building before you copy the code.
Does the new postcode replace my address?
No. NIPOST says it works alongside your address. Write your street address and add the postcode.
Is it free to find my postcode?
Yes for individuals. The postcode.gov.ng FAQ says individuals can find, save and share postcodes for free on the website and app.
Sources and checks
- launched through NIPOST nationwide on 1 October 2026, GIS-based, for homes, businesses, farms, schools and offices: https://fmcide.gov.ng/federal-government-launches-national-digital-alphanumeric-postcode-system/ (checked 4 November 2026)
- 11-character code per building, five levels, FC is the FCT: https://postcode.gov.ng/ (checked 4 November 2026)
- how to find a postcode: Find My Postcode, search by address or alias, choose the building yourself, the app does not pick the nearest building: https://postcode.gov.ng/blog/how-to-find-your-new-nigerian-digital-postcode (checked 4 November 2026)
- requesting a missing postcode, individuals can find, save and share for free, postcode belongs to the building: https://postcode.gov.ng/faq (checked 4 November 2026)
- example FC 02 A09 DB 09, read left to right from widest area to building, works alongside the address, six-digit code covers a broad postal area: https://nipost.gov.ng/what-is-the-new-alphanumeric-postcode/ (checked 4 November 2026)
- postcode belongs to the location, shared within a building, address plus postcode, remember the last four characters: https://nipost.gov.ng/9-things-people-get-wrong-about-the-new-postcode/ (checked 4 November 2026)
- featured image: NIPOST article https://postcode.gov.ng/blog/what-is-the-new-alpha-numeric-postcode