Addis Ababa is embarking on a major initiative to modernize its address system, aiming to improve accessibility for residents, businesses, and emergency services. The Addis Ababa City Administration Landholding Registration and Information Agency is standardizing street names and house numbers, a project expected to significantly enhance urban mobility and service delivery.
The Birr 180 million project, which involves installing address plaques on 30,000 roads and all legally recognized buildings within two years, has already seen 133 plaques installed. Director of Address System Expansion and Management, Temesgen Haile Yohannes, highlighted the initiative's goal of making it easier to locate households, roads, and key infrastructure, thus improving emergency response times.
This project addresses Ethiopia's previous lack of a comprehensive modern address system. By integrating address plaques with existing infrastructure like electricity poles and streetlights, the city aims to minimize costs and maximize coverage. A key component is a digital database, developed in collaboration with the Ethiopian Space Science and Geospatial Institute, accessible via websites, mobile apps, and GPS. While initial installation is free for households, residents will be responsible for replacing damaged plaques. Data collection for the digital transition is underway, according to Ethiopian Hearld.