14.5m children registered as Nigeria pushes for legal identity for every child

Nigeria is intensifying its birth registration efforts, successfully registering over 14.5 million children as it strives to ensure every child born in the country receives a legal identity. This push coincides with the marking of Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) week.

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Every registered birth strengthens the foundation for child protection and national development.

The National Population Commission (NPC) reported that digital birth registration services are now accessible in more than 6,000 of the country's 8,809 wards. The commission is increasingly linking registration services with health facilities and community outreach programs, making it easier for parents to register their newborns. This initiative is part of the new CRVS decade (2026–2036), focused on consolidating gains through integration, decentralization, and digitalization.

NPC Chairman Dr. Aminu Yusuf stressed the commission's priority: ensuring no child is excluded from legal recognition based on their birthplace. "Every registered birth strengthens the foundation for child protection and national development," he stated. "Our priority is to ensure that every child, regardless of where they are born, is counted, protected and recognised before the law."

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Our priority is to ensure that every child, regardless of where they are born, is counted, protected and recognised before the law.

Stakeholders highlight birth registration as the first formal recognition of a child by the state, providing essential proof of identity for accessing healthcare, education, and social protection. It also furnishes governments with vital demographic data for planning public services. The Nigerian CRVS system is being strengthened through collaboration between the NPC, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), development partners, and communities. In several states, birth registration is being integrated with health services to facilitate registration at the point of birth.

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integrated digital identity systems create a seamless pathway for individuals from birth through adulthood, while improving access to services and strengthening governance.

NIMC Director-General Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote noted that integrated digital identity systems create a seamless pathway from birth to adulthood, enhancing service access and governance. UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef, described birth registration as more than just a certificate; it is "a gateway to protection, services, and opportunity," and pledged continued support for strengthening these integrated systems.

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Birth registration is far more than a certificate. It is a gateway to protection, services, and opportunity.