Postal Code for Nigeria: Understanding Nigeria’s ZIP Code System

Updated 28 September 2026 · Travo.ng

If a website, bank or courier asks for your Nigeria ZIP code or postcode, it wants the six-digit number for your area. This page explains the system in plain terms and gives verified state capital codes. For a step-by-step guide to finding the code for your own street, read our Nigeria postal code guide.

What is a postal code (and is it the same as a ZIP code)?

A postal code is a number that tells postal and courier staff which sorting office and delivery area an address belongs to. ZIP code is the American name for the same idea. In Nigeria, postal code, post code and ZIP code all mean the six-digit NIPOST postcode, so enter the same number whichever label a form uses.

How Nigeria’s ZIP code system is organised

• Six digits, for example 100001.
• The first digit is one of nine postal regions. Lagos codes start with 1, Port Harcourt with 5 and Abuja with 9.
• The first three digits form the dispatch district used for sorting outgoing mail.
• The last three digits are the delivery location: a post office, a rural area or an urban area.
• Codes ending in 0001 usually belong to a main postal head office. That is why state capitals show up as 100001, 200001 and so on.

The system and its structure are described in the Postal codes in Nigeria reference, which draws on NIPOST.

Postal codes by state capital and major city

We checked each code below against at least two independent Nigerian postcode directories in September 2026. Where directories disagreed, we left the state out rather than guess. These are head-office codes. Your street may have a different code within the same range.

Sources: zipcode.com.ng, postalcodes.com.ng, postalcode.ng, zipcode.ng, potfron.com and Wikipedia, checked 28 September 2026. Confirm with NIPOST for official or legal use.

Code ranges for the biggest cities

Sources: postalcode.ng and zipcode.ng, checked 28 September 2026.

States not in the table

For states we did not list, including Kogi, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Yobe, the directories we checked gave conflicting codes. For example, several list Lokoja (Kogi) as 260001, while another reference gives 270001 for Kogi. Ask your nearest post office or NIPOST to confirm. City-level guides are also available for Calabar, Osogbo and Owerri North.

How to find the code for your exact street

The head-office code is fine for most online forms, but your area may have a more specific one. To find it:

1. Ask the nearest NIPOST post office. It is the most reliable source, and the NIPOST website lists branches.
2. Search a postcode directory by state, then local government area, then town, and check the result in a second directory.
3. Check letters already delivered to you, such as bank or utility mail, which often print the postcode.
4. Ask neighbours or your estate office. Buildings on the same street normally share a code.

A simple Nigerian address template

Write addresses in this order so both NIPOST and private couriers can read them:

• Full name and phone number
• House number, street name
• Area or estate, nearest landmark
• City or town, local government area
• State, six-digit postal code
• Nigeria

Using a Nigerian postal code on international forms

• Select Nigeria first. Many checkout pages change the ZIP field format once the country is set.
• Enter all six digits. There is no official five-digit Nigerian ZIP code.
• Add a phone number and a landmark. Couriers delivering in Nigeria depend on them.
• If a shop will not ship to Nigeria, see our list of online stores that ship to Nigeria, or use an international shipping service to forward your goods.

Why the right postal code matters

A correct postcode helps NIPOST sort your mail to the right delivery office. It also stops online forms from rejecting your address, and it reduces the back-and-forth when a courier cannot find you. A wrong code does not always stop a delivery in Nigeria, because riders often phone the recipient. But it can add days, especially for international parcels that pass through several sorting hubs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the postal code for Nigeria?

Nigeria has no single postal code. Each area has a six-digit NIPOST code, for example 100001 for Ikeja (Lagos) and 900001 for Garki (Abuja).

What is the ZIP code for Nigeria?

Use the six-digit postal code for your city or district. ZIP code and postal code mean the same thing on Nigerian forms.

What is the Nigerian postal code for Lagos?

The Lagos head office code (Ikeja) is 100001. Lagos codes range from 100001 to 102361, depending on the district.

What is the postal code for Abuja?

Garki, the Abuja head office area, uses 900001. Other FCT districts have their own 9xxxxx codes.

What is a postal code used for?

It tells the post office and couriers which sorting office and delivery area an address belongs to, so mail and parcels are routed correctly.

Is 100001 the postal code for all of Nigeria?

No. 100001 is the head-office code for Ikeja in Lagos. It often appears online as a general Nigeria code, but other cities and districts have their own codes, and using the wrong one can slow down sorting.

Why do websites show different codes for the same state?

Unofficial directories copy each other and make mistakes. If two sources disagree, confirm with your local NIPOST office.

Related guides

• Nigeria postal code guide: how to find your code
• Nigeria ZIP code: complete guide
• Track a package with a tracking number
• How FedEx delivery works in Nigeria

Sources: Postal codes in Nigeria (Wikipedia, citing NIPOST); zipcode.com.ng; postalcodes.com.ng; postalcode.ng; zipcode.ng; potfron.com. All checked 28 September 2026. Confirm official codes with NIPOST. Fares and prices change often — confirm before you travel or pay.