The National Population Commission (NPC) has described the digital registration of births, deaths, and other vital events as a critical source of reliable demographic data for national planning, policy formulation, budgeting, resource allocation, and sustainable development.

The Federal Commissioner of NPC, Amidu Tadese, made this known on Wednesday in Osogbo while addressing a news conference on the rollout of the full Digital Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (ECRVS) system.

Mr Tadese noted that Nigeria continues to face significant challenges in civil registration, as many births and deaths remain unregistered.

According to him, these gaps deny many Nigerians legal identity and undermine the availability of accurate statistics required for effective national development.

“Every registered birth gives a child legal recognition and access to essential services, while every registered death contributes to accurate national statistics that guide government decision-making,” he said.

He added that, as part of efforts to modernise civil registration services, the commission is working towards implementing a Digital Deed Poll Service, through which official name changes will be processed electronically and certificates will be issued digitally.

Mr Tadese further explained that the VitalReg platform provides both assisted and self-service options, enabling citizens to access registration services online at any time or visit NPC registration centres for support.

He said the platform offers faster processing, digital certificate issuance, improved data accuracy, enhanced security, and greater convenience for the public.

The commissioner called on the state government, its agencies, and other stakeholders to support the commission’s drive towards achieving universal civil registration.

He disclosed that residents would pay a token fee for the registration of children aged between zero and five years.

Mr Tadese urged parents and guardians to ensure that every child is registered immediately after birth and that all deaths and other registrable events are promptly reported at the nearest NPC registration centre or via the VitalReg platform.

In his remarks, the NPC State Director, Oluwaseun Ajayi, said birth and death registration go beyond an administrative exercise.

He explained that they establish legal identity, protect fundamental rights, facilitate access to essential services such as healthcare and education, and provide reliable data for planning and sustainable development.

Mr Ajayi added that the initiative presents an opportunity to strengthen collaboration with sister agencies, local governments, healthcare facilities, traditional institutions, community leaders, and the media to boost awareness and improve registration coverage, particularly in rural and underserved communities. 

(NAN)