How to Find Your New Digital Postcode

A new account sign-up asks for an address, then stalls at a field marked Postcode. The applicant enters the street name, adds a landmark, mentions the nearest bus stop. None of it satisfies the form. The postcode field stays empty because there is nothing to enter.

Nigeria's new Digital Postcode is designed to close this gap. An addressable building or location can have its own 11-character alphanumeric code, giving people and digital systems a consistent way to refer to that physical location.

If your building already has a digital postcode, there are two main ways to find it in the Postcode app. You can search for the location using the information you already have, or use your current location to find the building on the map.

This guide covers both methods and shows you how to make sure you've selected the right building.

Two Ways to Find Your Digital Postcode

Which method you should use depends on where you are.

If you're at or near the building, use Find My Postcode. The app uses your phone's location to show you where you are on the map. You then select the building whose postcode you need.

If you're looking for a building from somewhere else, use the Search postcode or alias field on the home screen.

In both cases, the important thing is to identify the correct building. A digital postcode is associated with a specific addressable building or location, so the building next door may have a different postcode.

How to Get the Postcode for Your Current Location

If you're already at the location whose postcode you need, Find My Postcode is the quickest place to start.

1. Tap Find My Postcode

Open the Postcode app and select Find My Postcode from the home screen.

If prompted, allow the app to access your phone's location.

2. Let the app locate you

The app opens a satellite map and shows your current position.

You'll also see markers for mapped buildings around you and an indication of your current location accuracy.

3. Find the correct building on the map

Use your location and the satellite image to identify the building whose postcode you need.

The app does not automatically assign you the postcode of the nearest building. You need to choose the building yourself. This is particularly important where several houses, shops or other buildings are close together. Look at their positions on the map and compare them with what you can see around you.

4. Tap the building

Once you've identified the building, tap its marker.

The app will retrieve the digital postcode associated with that location.

5. Check the complete postcode

The complete 11-character postcode will appear on the screen.

For example:

FC 02 D11 AJ 003

Before using it, ensure the building highlighted on the map is the one you intended to select.

How to Find a Digital Postcode by Address

You don't need to be physically at a building to find its postcode.

If you know the address of the location you're looking for, you can search for it directly from the home screen.

1. Tap the search field

Open the app and tap Search postcode or alias.

2. Enter the address

Type the address information you have into the search field. The more accurately the information describes the location you're looking for, the easier it will be to find the right result.

3. Select the relevant result

Choose the location that matches the address you're looking for. The app opens it on a satellite map and highlights the selected building.

4. Check the building on the map

Don't rely on the written result alone. Look at the building's position on the satellite map and compare it with the location you intended to find. Nearby roads and surrounding buildings can help you confirm the match.

Once you're satisfied that you've selected the correct building, you have the digital postcode for that location.

Ensure You Have the Right Postcode

Finding a postcode doesn't necessarily mean you've found the right postcode. This matters most in places where several buildings are close together. Selecting the building next door could give you a valid postcode, but it would be the postcode for the wrong location.

Before using a postcode, check the selected building on the satellite map. Compare its position with nearby roads, neighbouring buildings and other features you recognise.

Remember that the postcode is associated with the physical location. It doesn't belong to the person living there or the business occupying it. If the occupant moves, the postcode remains associated with that location.

For a more detailed checklist, read How to Make Sure You Have the Right Postcode.

Find Your Digital Postcode

The next time a form asks for a postcode, you don't have to substitute a landmark, bus stop or nearby location. Your building's digital postcode gives you the location reference the field is asking for.

Once you know it, you have a consistent postcode for your building that you can use whenever a service, form, or organisation asks for one.

Open the Postcode app and find your digital postcode.