The National Population Commission (NPC), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), and UNICEF have launched a unified strategy to ensure every Nigerian child receives a legal identity immediately after birth. By integrating birth registration into primary healthcare, these organizations hope to bridge the significant gap that leaves millions of children without official documentation.
UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Denis Onoise, highlighted that the current lack of registration stems from systemic barriers rather than parental negligence. Issues include a lack of registration centers, excessive travel distances for families, language barriers, and limited resources. These obstacles force parents to incur extra costs, such as travel expenses and lost wages, which complicates the process for vulnerable populations.
To solve this, the partnership proposes a digital approach where the NPC handles registration while the NIMC assigns a National Identification Number (NIN). Local governments are tasked with bringing these services to the ward level by embedding them within existing health facilities. This way, birth notification at a clinic can automatically trigger the registration process.
While the goal is to streamline civil records, challenges persist, such as the gap between registered births and the issuance of actual certificates. Data shows that out of over 400,000 registrations, only a fraction resulted in certificates. Furthermore, tech integration in health facilities has faced delays.
Ultimately, the stakeholders emphasize that legal identity is essential for protecting children from exploitation, child labor, and trafficking. They are calling for increased domestic funding and public awareness to ensure that registering a newborn becomes a routine, accessible part of life in Nigeria.