The National Population Commission (NPC) in Nigeria has achieved a significant milestone by registering over 10 million children aged 0 to 5 years in the past three months.
This announcement was made by the commission’s Chairman, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra, during an event at the Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja, where First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu presented the “baby of the year” with a birth certificate.
Represented by the Federal Commissioner from Katsina State, Bala Banya, Kwarra emphasized the critical role of birth registration in establishing a legal identity for children and recognizing their status as Nigerians. “One birth certificate is a legal identity,” he noted, adding that the process now includes integrating electronic birth certificates with the National Identity Number (NIN) system.
Registered children are automatically assigned an NIN, ensuring their inclusion in the national database. The commission is focusing on under-one-year registrations and expanding efforts by establishing over 4,000 registration centers across Nigeria.
The NPC’s Director-General, Dr. Osifo Ojogun, highlighted the use of advanced technology to maintain a secure and accurate identity database. He expressed gratitude to the First Lady, represented by the Vice President’s wife, Hajiya Nana Shettima, for her support. Ojogun also encouraged Nigerians to register deaths to ensure a clean population registry.
