The National Population Commission (NPC) has launched a nationwide digital platform that allows Nigerians to register births and deaths online and obtain certificates electronically, marking a major step in the country’s civil registration reforms.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, NPC Chairman, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, announced that the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) system and VitalReg platform became operational across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory on July 1, 2026.
According to Yusuf, the platform enables 24-hour online access to birth and death registration services, digital certificate issuance where applicable, improved data validation, and a more secure civil registration database, reducing paperwork, waiting time and the need for physical visits.
He described the initiative as one of the most significant reforms in Nigeria’s civil registration system, aimed at improving service delivery, strengthening data integrity and ensuring every birth and death is accurately documented.
The NPC chairman disclosed that Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, but birth registration coverage currently stands at about 57 per cent, while death registration remains below 20 per cent.
To improve coverage, the commission has established 4,011 functional registration centres across the country’s 774 local government areas and plans to expand the number to about 8,000 centres.
The commission is also collaborating with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), UNICEF, and Barnksforte Technologies Limited to decentralise birth registration and strengthen legal identity services nationwide.
Yusuf noted that while some specialised services, including record modifications, certificate reissuance and verification requests, will attract reviewed fees, birth registration and birth notification services will remain highly subsidised.
He urged parents and other stakeholders to ensure the prompt registration of births and deaths, stressing that universal civil registration is essential for legal identity, national planning and evidence-based governance.
