NPC, UNICEF Take Birth Registration Services to Hospitals to Give Every Nigerian Child a Legal Identity
NPC, UNICEF Take Birth Registration Services to Hospitals to Give Every Nigerian Child a Legal Identity
NPC, UNICEF Take Birth Registration Services to Hospitals to Give Every Nigerian Child a Legal Identity
The campaign to ensure that every Nigerian child has a legal identity is moving closer to the point of birth, as the National Population Commission (NPC), UNICEF and other partners take birth registration and vital statistics services directly to health facilities across the country.
The initiative, organised as part of activities marking the 2026 Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day, was held at Wuse General Hospital, Abuja, with a focus on bringing registration services closer to mothers, caregivers and newborns.
The programme places particular emphasis on Primary Healthcare Centres, where many births take place, allowing parents to register their children and obtain birth certificates without having to travel long distances to registration offices.
The Chairman of the National Population Commission, Dr Aminu Yusuf, joined UNICEF Nigeria officials to monitor the exercise and engage parents and caregivers on the importance of registering every birth.
Birth Certificate Provides Lifelong Legal Identity
During the engagement, families were reminded that birth registration goes beyond obtaining a certificate. It provides a child with a legal identity, proof of age and identity, while strengthening access to essential services and protection throughout life.
For many parents whose children received birth certificates during the exercise, the moment represented their children’s first formal recognition by the state.
The certificate serves as an official record that can support access to education, healthcare, social protection and other essential services as the child grows.
The NPC said taking registration services directly to health facilities is part of its broader strategy to eliminate barriers such as distance, inadequate information and difficulties associated with accessing registration centres.
The Commission disclosed that the initiative is being expanded to health facilities nationwide, particularly Primary Healthcare Centres where a significant proportion of births occur.
The programme is also expected to strengthen Nigeria’s civil registration and vital statistics system by ensuring that births are captured accurately and promptly.
By bringing registration closer to families, the NPC and its partners are working towards a future where every Nigerian child is counted, recognised and protected from birth, regardless of where the child is born.
NPC, UNICEF Take Birth Registration Services to Hospitals to Give Every Nigerian Child a Legal Identity
