The National Population Commission (NPC), in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has intensified efforts to improve birth registration in Nigeria with a practical demonstration of the digital registration process at the Eti-Osa East Local Council Development Area in Lagos.
The demonstration followed a two-day media briefing organised by the NPC and UNICEF to deepen journalists’ understanding of birth registration and its importance to establishing a child’s legal identity.
Health personnel at the LCDA, under the supervision of NPC officials, took journalists through the registration process for newborns, explaining the requirements, procedures and ways digital technology is making registration faster and more accessible to families.
The exercise forms part of broader efforts to increase the number of children registered at birth and ensure that every Nigerian child has a legally recognised identity in line with the provisions of the law.
It was explained that parents can provide different supporting documents when registering their children, depending on what is available to them.
These include an immunisation card, baptismal card or National Identification Number (NIN). She clarified that parents are not required to provide all the documents before a child’s registration can be completed.
According to some parents, the integration of NIN into the registration system has further improved the efficiency of the process.
It was also explained that once a child’s NIN is entered into the platform, relevant details, including the child’s photograph, can be automatically retrieved, reducing the need for repeated manual data entry.
A parent who participated in the exercise, Chibundu Rafael, described the registration process as simple, efficient and convenient.
Rafael, who said he chose to register his daughter himself to reduce the responsibility on his wife, said the entire procedure took only a few minutes.
“Two to three minutes. And it’s very easy. No problem about it. I love the process,” he said.
He encouraged other parents to register their children as early as possible, warning that postponing the process could create unnecessary difficulties later in a child’s life.
“I would advise them to come and do it. Because if they don’t take the chance now, it might be difficult for them tomorrow. They should not deprive that child of early registration,” he added.
The demonstration also highlighted the importance of collaboration among government agencies, healthcare facilities, development partners, communities and families in improving Nigeria’s birth registration figures.
For the NPC and UNICEF, the objective extends beyond simply increasing registration statistics. The organisations want every child to have a recognised legal identity from birth, which can serve as a foundation for accessing essential services and exercising basic rights throughout life.
