On Tuesday, the Lagos State Government unveiled the initial phase of its groundbreaking Identifier Project — a comprehensive digital addressing initiative crafted to revolutionize house numbering and street naming across the vibrant state.
The project, commencing in Ikeja next week, was presented by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the Nigeria Land Titling, Registration, and Documentation Programme (NLTRDP) held in the bustling Victoria Island. This initiative was orchestrated by the Lagos State Office of Electronic Geographic Information System (e-GIS) and Urban Development, in collaboration with the esteemed Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
Under this visionary initiative, each building in Lagos will receive a distinctive digital identity inscribed on a house-numbering plate adorned with a QR code and a color scheme specific to its local government area. This sophisticated system is anticipated to significantly enhance navigation for emergency responders, utility providers, security agencies, and residents, while simultaneously elevating service delivery and urban management.
“This digital house numbering system is a pioneering concept,” Governor Sanwo-Olu articulated while showcasing the prototype plates. “It’s about leveraging technology as a powerful enabler to address our land issues. From the sanctuary of your home, you will have the ability to access and resolve land title matters. If you possess the address of a property, all necessary information will be readily available.”
In praising the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the governor characterized electronic land documentation as “the sole path forward” to diminish physical interference in land administration, thereby securing property rights.
The Governor’s Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, emphasized that the Identifier Project represents a significant stride toward modernizing the infrastructure of Lagos and enhancing the quality of life for its inhabitants.
He elucidated that scanning the QR code on a property’s plate would unveil verified information regarding ownership, building approvals, outstanding bills, and other official records — an initiative projected to bolster security, combat rental fraud, and augment government revenue.
“House numbering and documentation are intricately linked,” Mr. Babatunde asserted. “On the backend, we have all the information primed for public access whenever required. This is the era of technology — we must wholeheartedly embrace it.”
Earlier, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, revealed ambitious plans to elevate Nigeria’s land titling coverage to 50 percent within the next decade.
He highlighted that more than 97 percent of land in the nation remains untitled, which inhibits its use as collateral and complicates property transactions.
He urged other states to follow Lagos’ exemplary lead by digitizing land registries, integrating geographic information systems, and adopting established global best practices.
