Lagos Begins Digital House Numbering to Boost Services
Lagos State has launched a pilot digital house numbering system designed to improve emergency response, land management, and public service delivery, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced Tuesday.
The initiative, called the “Identifier” project, was introduced during the Nigeria Land Titling, Registration and Documentation Programme in Victoria Island. Organised by the Lagos State Office of Electronic Geographic Information System and Urban Development in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the event marked a milestone in the state’s drive toward tech-enabled governance.
The pilot phase will roll out in Ikeja next week, assigning a unique digital identity to each building. The system is expected to streamline navigation for emergency responders, enhance utility access, and aid urban planning.
“Lagos’ digital house numbering system is a novel idea. It is about technology and that is one of the things that we are trying to achieve; using technology as a strong enabler to be able to resolve all our land issues, where from the comfort of your house, you can access and resolve land title issues,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He added that the system will allow property addresses to be linked to all relevant information about the site, helping to tackle long-standing administrative bottlenecks. The governor also commended the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, describing electronic land documentation as the “only way forward.”
Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde, explained that each identifier will feature QR codes and local government-specific colours for easy recognition. “You can scan the QR code to get the information about a land… whether the building has an approval or not. We are now in the age of technology. We need to embrace technology,” he said.
Housing Minister Ahmed Dangiwa stressed that more than 97 per cent of land in Nigeria remains untitled, limiting its economic potential. He expressed hope that Lagos’ example would inspire other states to digitise their land registries, integrate GIS, and adopt international best practices.
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