The Proof of Address (PoA) system will go live in Oyo State on 1 March 2026 following a government directive mandating all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to commence full implementation of the address verification framework.
The activation, conveyed in a circular dated 18 February 2026, signals the state’s formal entry into what authorities describe as a nationwide effort to build a credible and standardised residential address database.
Signed by Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Musibau Adetunji Babatunde, the circular directs that all official transactions requiring address verification must henceforth comply with the approved PoA framework.
It further mandates each MDA to appoint a desk officer, not below Grade Level 09 or 10, to serve as PoA focal person and coordinate reporting within the state’s central implementation structure.
State officials said that the rollout represents a major step in the state’s public service reform and digital governance agenda.
At an earlier sensitisation programme held at the Western Hall of the Secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital, government representatives stressed that the initiative would strengthen planning, improve service delivery and enhance internal security.
‘A reliable address system is foundational to governance. It supports taxation, emergency response, infrastructure planning and accountability’, a senior official at the session said.
At the national level, the PoA initiative has gained momentum with the formal adoption and backing of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which has pledged full cooperation in its implementation.
The anti-graft agency is working in partnership with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to drive grassroots deployment of the system across all 774 Local Government Areas.
The partnership was formalised during a courtesy visit by an ALGON delegation to the EFCC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja. The delegation was led by Lead Technical Partner for the initiative, Prince Segun Obayendo, alongside the Deputy Director (Political) at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Abdulmajeed Abubakar,which is coordinating the project at the federal level.
EFCC Secretary Muhammed Hammajoda, who represented the commission’s Chairman at the meeting, described the PoA system as critical to strengthening investigations and asset tracing.
‘Proof of address is essential in establishing ownership. When matters get to court, verifiable address data helps eliminate disputes over property ownership, whether involving tenants, landlords or third parties’, he said.
He added that the commission would give its full institutional support to ensure the integrity and reliability of the database.
Federal officials explained that enrolment into the PoA system requires residents to link their address information with their National Identification Number, thereby integrating the database with existing identity management infrastructure.
According to them, this linkage will enhance traceability, reduce identity-related fraud and improve coordination among security and regulatory agencies.
Beyond law enforcement, the initiative is also attracting institutional backing from the education sector. The National Commission for Colleges of Education has adopted the PoA framework to strengthen documentation processes for students and staff across colleges of education nationwide. Officials say the move will promote data accuracy, transparency and administrative efficiency.
With Oyo State set to begin enforcement on 1 March, and the EFCC committing to full cooperation at the national level, stakeholders describe the moment as a convergence of state and federal resolve to address long-standing gaps in Nigeria’s address verification system.
Observers note that the success of the PoA rollout will depend on sustained public awareness, effective inter-agency coordination and strict compliance across all tiers of government.
