By Esther Olaoluwa |
The National Population Commission (NPC), in collaboration with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has organised a two-day capacity-building training for ward registrars in Kwara State to strengthen birth registration and improve Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system.
The training, held in Ilorin, is part of efforts to decentralise birth registration services, improve access to legal identity for children, and strengthen the country’s electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (eCRVS) system.
Training to Strengthen Grassroots Registration
Speaking at the event, the Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission in Kwara State, Dr. Yahaya Isiaka Alada, described the initiative as a significant milestone in the implementation of reforms aimed at decentralising and harmonising civil registration across Nigeria.
He said the training represents a shift from policy discussions to practical implementation at the grassroots, where ward registrars play a critical role in ensuring that births are properly registered.
According to Alada, the commission remains committed to expanding the electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system nationwide in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Partnership to Improve Birth Registration
Alada recalled that UNICEF convened a strategic meeting in December 2024 involving the NPC, ALGON, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and technology partners to strengthen collaboration and improve birth registration processes across the country.
He said the partnership is aimed at ensuring that every child born in Nigeria is registered and issued a legal identity, while bringing registration services closer to communities through decentralisation.
The Federal Commissioner disclosed that plans are underway to establish additional registration centres across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State to improve access to birth registration and facilitate the timely issuance of birth certificates with unique identification numbers.
Birth Registration Essential for Access to Services
In her opening remarks, ALGON’s National Project Coordinator on Birth Registration, Latifah Aspitah Isah, described birth registration as the foundation of legal identity and an essential requirement for accessing basic public services.
She said birth registration provides children with official recognition and serves as a gateway to healthcare, education, social protection and other government interventions.
Isah warned that children who are not registered at birth face a greater risk of exclusion from essential services and opportunities, underscoring the need to strengthen registration systems at the grassroots.
Kwara Government Commends Initiative
Delivering the keynote address, the Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olorungbebe, commended the collaboration between NPC, ALGON and UNICEF, describing it as a strategic initiative that aligns with the state government’s commitment to ensuring that every child has a legal identity from birth.
He noted that strengthening birth registration would improve planning and service delivery while safeguarding children’s rights and supporting human capital development across the state.
The commissioner reaffirmed the state government’s support for initiatives aimed at expanding birth registration coverage and ensuring that every child is captured within Nigeria’s civil registration system.
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