NPC Rolls Out Digital Birth, Death Registration Nationwide

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

The National Population Commission (NPC) has officially commenced the nationwide implementation of the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) System, marking a significant step towards digitising birth and death registration across Nigeria.

The initiative, which is expected to strengthen the country’s civil registration framework and improve the quality of demographic data, was unveiled during a media briefing in Osogbo by the Osun State Director of the NPC, Elder Ajayi Oluwaseun.

Speaking on the new digital platform, Ajayi said the E-CRVS system would transform the registration of births and deaths by making the process faster, more secure, accessible and efficient, while ensuring that every Nigerian is accurately captured in the national database.

He noted that the digital registration system forms part of the commission’s commitment to deploying technology to build a reliable database that would enhance national planning, policy formulation and sustainable development.

According to him, birth and death registration remains a critical component of national development, as it provides legal identity, safeguards fundamental rights and enables citizens to access essential services such as healthcare and education.

He added that reliable civil registration data would also equip governments at all levels with credible statistics needed for effective planning, equitable resource allocation and evidence-based decision-making.

“Birth and death registration is much more than an administrative exercise. It establishes foundational legal identity, protects fundamental rights, supports access to essential services such as healthcare and education, and provides government with reliable data for planning,” he said.

Ajayi explained that the E-CRVS platform would eliminate many of the bottlenecks associated with manual registration by introducing a seamless digital process that guarantees data security, accuracy and ease of access.

He stressed that the success of the initiative would depend largely on collaboration among stakeholders, including government agencies, local government councils, healthcare facilities, traditional institutions, community leaders and the media.

The Osun NPC director particularly appealed to journalists to support the nationwide exercise by creating public awareness and educating residents on the need to promptly register births and deaths through the electronic platform.

“The success of this programme depends on the active participation of every stakeholder. We count on the continued support of the media in sensitising the public, disseminating accurate information and ensuring that citizens understand the importance of this national assignment,” he stated.

The briefing also highlighted the objectives of the E-CRVS system, its implementation strategy, expected benefits to citizens and the responsibilities of stakeholders in ensuring its successful nationwide adoption.

The commission expressed optimism that the digital platform would significantly improve Nigeria’s civil registration system, provide accurate demographic data and strengthen evidence-based planning for national growth and development.