Key points
- Nigerians at home and abroad can now initiate birth and death registration through a secure digital platform.
- The National Population Commission says the system became operational nationwide on July 1.
- The digital platform replaces the paper-based registration system that has been in use since 1988.
- Existing paper records will be migrated to the new system to preserve vital registration data.
Main story
The National Population Commission (NPC) has launched a nationwide digital platform that allows Nigerians, including those living abroad, to initiate the registration of births and deaths online.
The Federal Commissioner representing Edo State in the commission, Dr Tony Aiyejina, announced the development on Friday during a news conference in Benin.
Aiyejina said the new self-service digital platform became operational nationwide on July 1, replacing the paper-based registration system that had been in use since 1988.
He said the transition would make birth and death registration faster, more secure and more reliable.
According to him, existing paper records will be migrated to the digital platform to ensure that vital registration records are preserved.
He added that the new system would reduce delays, minimise errors, prevent duplication and fraud, and simplify the retrieval of records.
Aiyejina stressed that accurate birth and death records are essential for effective national planning in sectors such as healthcare, education, housing, employment and social welfare.
He urged parents, healthcare providers, traditional institutions, religious organisations and other stakeholders to support the initiative by ensuring that births and deaths are registered promptly.
Also speaking, the NPC State Director in Edo, Mrs Agnes Ibadin, said the commission had commenced digital birth registration in health centres across the state.
She explained that registrars now work with healthcare providers to capture births at health facilities, particularly during immunisation visits, making registration more accessible to families in surrounding communities.
According to her, health centres will serve as registration contact points, reducing the need for parents in remote areas to travel long distances to register births.
The event featured a demonstration of the new digital registration process.
The issues
Civil registration provides legal identity and reliable population data that support government planning, resource allocation and access to public services. Digitising the process is expected to improve efficiency, expand coverage and reduce fraud.
What’s being said
“The new system will reduce delays, minimise errors, prevent duplication and fraud, and make the retrieval of records easier.” — Dr Tony Aiyejina, NPC Federal Commissioner
What’s next
The NPC will continue rolling out the digital registration system nationwide while migrating historical paper records and expanding registration services through health facilities and the online platform.
Bottom line
The digitalisation of birth and death registration marks a significant step in modernising Nigeria’s civil registration system, making vital records more accessible, secure and reliable for citizens at home and abroad.
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