The federal government has introduced the Local Government Proof of Address (POA) project to replace the long-standing use of utility bills as the main document for verifying citizens’ residential addresses across the country.
The initiative aims to create a more reliable and secure system for address verification that strengthens national security, enhances citizen identification, and improves service delivery.
The project, initiated by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), received formal approval through a circular issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) dated October 29, 2025, with reference number 5964B/S,13/VBA/T.IIIA/704. According to the circular, the directive took effect from October 1, 2025.
Under the new framework, all federal and state Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), government-owned corporations, and public institutions are mandated to stop relying on electricity or water bills and adopt the standardized Proof of Address issued by local governments as the acceptable document for residency verification.
The POA initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s eight-point development agenda, particularly in the areas of governance reform, security enhancement, and institutional efficiency. It is domiciled in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, with the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) serving as the coordinating agency.
For years, the use of utility bills as proof of residence has created challenges. Many Nigerians either do not have utility bills in their names or rely on shared or outdated documents that do not reflect their current locations. The growth of prepaid and digital billing systems has also made paper-based proof of residence unreliable for national verification purposes.
While the National Identification Number (NIN) remains vital for personal identification, many NIN records lack accurate or updated address information. This limits their effectiveness for residency verification, security profiling, and planning. The new POA fills this gap by providing verified, location-based and current address data that is linked directly to local governments.
According to officials, anchoring the system at the grassroots will allow local authorities, who have better knowledge of their communities, to verify and issue credible Proof of Address documents. This approach is expected to boost community-level intelligence, improve crime prevention, strengthen emergency response, and enhance the accuracy of population data.
Beyond security, the initiative is expected to support fair resource allocation, disaster management, urban development, and social welfare targeting. Verified address data will also benefit financial inclusion, electoral planning, and statistical accuracy.
Implementation of the POA project is already ongoing across federal and state institutions, with state governments directed to lead public awareness campaigns in their areas. The OSGF, NIPOST, and ALGON will provide technical and institutional support to ensure nationwide adoption and long-term sustainability of the system.
