Nigeria’s National Population Commission (NPC) has successfully registered over 10 million children aged between zero and five years within the past three months.
The Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra made this known during a media briefing on Wednesday. The event followed the presentation of a birth certificate to the “baby of the year” by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at the Asokoro General Hospital in Abuja.
Represented by the Federal Commissioner from Katsina State, Bala Banya, Kwarra described the achievement as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards building a comprehensive identity management system.
He highlighted the critical role of birth registration, explaining that it not only provides legal identity but also officially confirms the child’s status as a Nigerian citizen.
As part of its efforts to modernise and streamline the process, the NPC has integrated the issuance of electronic birth certificates with the National Identity Number (NIN) system. Under this initiative, every child registered is automatically assigned an NIN, ensuring their inclusion in the national database from birth.
The Director General of the NPC, Dr Osifo Ojogun, revealed plans to establish over 4,000 registration centres across the country, a move aimed at making the registration process more accessible to all Nigerians.
He also highlighted the commission’s use of advanced technology to ensure that each registered child is given a unique, tamper-proof identity.
Dr Ojogun expressed gratitude to the First Lady, represented at the event by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, for her support in presenting the birth certificate.
Additionally, he urged Nigerians to register deaths with the commission to maintain an accurate and up-to-date population register.
This development underscores Nigeria’s commitment to improving identity management and ensuring that every child is accounted for from birth.
