By Mutiu Abdullah
The National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced the nationwide digital registration of births and deaths as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s civil registration system, improve access to legal identity and provide reliable demographic data for national development.
The Federal Commissioner the NPC, Lagos State, Barrister Saidat Olayinka Oladunjoye, stated this at a press briefing to commemorate the 2026 World Population Day and mark the commencement of the full digitalisation of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics on the registration platforms.
The 2026 World Population Day is being commemorated with the theme, “Realising the Hopes and Aspirations of Young People – Today and for the Future.”
Oladunjoye said the digital registration platform became fully operational across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory on 1 July 2026.
According to her, the initiative is expected to provide faster and more accessible registration services, improve the accuracy of demographic records, reduce delays and support evidence-based planning for national development.
She said this year’s World Population Day theme underscores the importance of investing in Nigeria’s youthful population through education, healthcare, employment opportunities, social protection and access to legal identity.
Oladunjoye noted that Nigeria, with an estimated population of more than 238 million people, is the most populous country in Africa, adding that young people constitute a significant proportion of the population and remain one of the country’s greatest resources.
She, however, expressed concern over the low level of birth and death registration in the country, noting that millions of Nigerians risk being denied legal identity while gaps in vital registration limit the availability of reliable population data required for effective planning and equitable distribution of resources.
The NPC commissioner said the Commission was strengthening collaboration with government institutions, healthcare facilities, traditional and religious institutions, as well as development partners, to ensure that births and deaths are properly captured.
Oladunjoye explained that the new digital platform would simplify the registration process, reduce paperwork, improve data security, shorten processing time and strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.
She added that the Commission had entered into strategic partnerships with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), UNICEF and private technology partners to decentralise registration services and bring them closer to communities.
While assuring Nigerians that birth registration remains highly subsidised, Oladunjoye urged parents to ensure that every child is registered at birth.
She also called on the media to sustain public enlightenment on population issues, youth development and the importance of legal identity.
The NPC commissioner said the Commission would continue to collaborate with governments and development partners to build a modern civil registration system capable of generating credible demographic data for national planning and sustainable development.
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