Posts and Telecommunications Launches Liberia’s First-ever National Digital and Postal Address System

MONROVIA – In a remarkable display of technological innovation, Liberia has taken a bold step towards revolutionizing its addressing system by deploying the first-ever drone-enabled National Digital & Postal Addressing System (NDPAS).

The NDPAS is designed to provide Liberians with a unique 5–7-digit alphanumeric address code (e.g., Monrovia 499-GUA), which can be shared with trusted contacts to direct them to their exact location using any mobile phone mapping system of their choice, according to a release.

The Government of Liberia, through its Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MoPT), entered into an agreement with SnooCODE Limited in 2021 to provide Liberia with a National Digital & Postal Addressing System (NDPAS).

It was a sense of accomplishment when Post and Telecommunications Minister, Cllr. Cooper Kruah and Sesinam Dagadu, the Founder and CEO of SnooCODE led an array of public officials and some members of the diplomatic corps including United States Ambassador Michael McCarthy to launch the ground-breaking platform, officials say promises to change the face of Liberia’s postal and delivery services, making them more efficient, effective, and reliable.

Cllr. Kruah said the launch of the NDPAS is a step ahead in putting Liberia on par with other developed countries across the world.

Cllr Cooper Kruah, Sr. called on the public in Liberia to try out the app and provide feedback via https://www.ndpasliberia.com/contact.

He said large scale public trials of the NDPAS will begin from May 2023, while implementation of the system will be across the country with special activities in Monrovia for the first six months.

According to the Minister, these six months of special activities, trials, testing, and feedback will determine the next steps of the project. Plans are also underway to develop a custom integrated solution for Liberia based on the NDPAS, and many Liberian companies and individuals will be given several opportunities to participate in these developments.

This custom-built solution will power a wide range of industries, including banking, eCommerce, delivery services, emergency services, Public Health, sanitation, and emerging technologies like drones.

With this user-friendly innovation, the NDPAS promises to transform the way people interact with location-related services in Liberia, and will impact a wide range of sectors within the country, the Minister said.

Practical Applications

In his submission, the CEO of SnooCODE, Mr. Dagadu, shared some examples of use cases that make this project a viable venture and explained that after the project’s implementation, the technology will become the foundation for the development of other digital solutions and applications to solve specific challenges within the country.

 “A computer science student can develop an eCommerce application on top of the NDPAS; a fashion student will be able to easily set up an online business delivering orders to customers on time and to their doorstep with the NDPAS; and a Dumboy seller will be enabled to advertise their street stall to a larger market online,” said Mr. Dagadu.

In a conversation with a local postal worker, they explained that the NDPAS will indeed have a significant impact on the efficiency of their delivery services. “Before the NDPAS, we would often have to spend hours searching for addresses, which has resulted in many missed deliveries and unhappy customers,” the postal worker said. “But now, with the NDPAS, it will be easier to locate addresses, which will make our delivery services more efficient and reliable.”

Impact

The NDPAS has the potential to impact a wide range of sectors within Liberia, from healthcare to education, agriculture to commerce, and everything in between.

With its improved addressing system, healthcare providers will be able to easily locate and reach patients in remote areas, and a year from now, a resident of West Point slum, Monrovia, who has fallen critically ill will be able to simply mention their 6-digit address code to a helpline operator and receive first aid medication right at their front door.

Schools and universities can ensure that students and staff are accurately located and notified of important events and announcements. Agriculture businesses can use the NDPAS to track and deliver produce to the right locations, while commerce businesses can ensure that their products are delivered to the right customers.

In addition to its practical applications, the NDPAS also has the potential to boost Liberia’s economy by attracting foreign investment and promoting tourism.

With its reliable and efficient addressing system, Liberia can now provide a more seamless and convenient experience for tourists and investors alike, thereby boosting the country’s economic prospects and creating new opportunities for growth and development.