The governments of Oyo, Rivers, Bauchi, Yobe, Cross River, Bayelsa and Sokoto states have formally adopted the Proof of Address, PoA, system for statewide documentation.
A statement released by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, which supervises the project, said the development marks a major step toward establishing a unified and verifiable address framework in Nigeria.
According to the statement, with the adoption, the governors of the seven states have signed on to a data-driven identification system that ensures the proper documentation of residents and businesses.
“The initiative, being implemented for the first time on a national scale, is expected to significantly improve access to essential services, strengthen security, and enhance governance,” the statement said.
The Local Government Proof of Address policy, introduced by the Federal Government, is aimed at replacing Nigeria’s long-standing reliance on informal and non-standard address descriptions with a credible, standardised system that can be uniformly verified across the country.
Under the framework, a standardised proof of address becomes a foundational element of identity verification, enabling residents to access critical services such as electricity, water, internet connectivity, healthcare, insurance, and mobile phone services.
“It also strengthens financial inclusion by supporting Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements needed to open bank accounts, access credit, carry out secure transactions, and participate fully in the formal financial system,” the statement added.
The PoA initiative is also expected to improve compliance with government and legal requirements, including voter registration, issuance of official documents, employment verification, and school enrolment.
“By linking individuals and businesses to verifiable locations, the system adds a crucial layer of protection against fraud, identity theft, and other financial crimes, while supporting more efficient logistics, e-commerce, emergency response, and service delivery.”
The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation provides overall policy direction and coordination, and issues directives mandating the adoption of PoA across ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, as well as sub-national governments.
The Nigerian Postal Service, NIPOST, serves as the federal coordinating agency and operational backbone, leveraging its nationwide infrastructure to standardise addresses, conduct physical address verification, and manage address data in line with national standards.
At the grassroots level, the 774 local government councils are expected to enact bye-law to administer and mobilise residents in the communities with robust sensitisation to ensure effective implementation.
