By Emma Sunday
The National Population Commission, NPC, has appealed to parents, guardians and healthcare providers in Rivers State to ensure prompt registration of every birth and death under the newly launched digital system, saying legal identity is critical to national development.
Federal Commissioner, NPC Rivers State, Prof. Itotenaan Henry Ogiri, made the appeal on Monday in Port Harcourt during a press briefing to announce the commencement of nationwide digital registration of births and deaths under the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, E-CRVS, System using the VitalReg platform.
Prof. Ogiri said the full digital registration, which took effect nationwide on July 1, 2026, is now being implemented across Rivers’ 23 Local Government Areas as part of the Commission’s rollout in all 36 states and the FCT.
“I therefore call on parents, guardians, healthcare workers, community leaders and all residents of Rivers State to embrace this initiative by ensuring that every birth and every death is registered promptly.
“A complete and reliable civil registration system benefits not only individuals and families but also strengthens governance and supports sustainable national development,” he stated.
The Federal Commissioner explained that civil registration goes beyond documentation, as it establishes legal identity, protects individual rights, and provides credible demographic data for planning and equitable distribution of resources.
He noted that while Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, coverage remains low. Birth registration currently stands at about 57%, while death registration is below 20% nationwide.
“These gaps underscore the urgent need for a more efficient and accessible registration system,” Prof. Ogiri said.
He said the NPC, to close the gap, has established 4,011 functional registration centres across the 774 LGAs, with plans to expand to about 8,000 centres nationwide. In Rivers, personnel are already working with health facilities, LGAs and community stakeholders to ensure services are accessible to every resident.
Prof. Ogiri said the VitalReg platform represents a major improvement in service delivery. It offers faster and more efficient registration, 24-hour access, automated data validation for accuracy, reduced paperwork and waiting time, enhanced security of records, and a stronger national database to support other government systems.
The platform is also designed to integrate seamlessly with Nigeria’s national digital identity framework, including NIMC, to improve coordination among government agencies.
The initiative builds on the launch of the E-CRVS System and the inauguration of the National Coordination Committee on CRVS by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on November 8, 2023. It aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda on digital transformation and transparency.
While acknowledging the role of technology, Prof. Ogiri stressed that success depends on partnerships and public participation. NPC is collaborating with ALGON, NIMC, UNICEF and Barnksforte Technologies Limited to decentralize services and strengthen the integrity of the system.
He assured that birth registration and birth notification services remain highly subsidised, despite the introduction of approved administrative charges for specialised services such as record modification, certificate reissuance, attestation and verification.
“The Commission remains firmly committed to achieving universal birth registration and ensuring that financial considerations do not prevent any child from obtaining a legal identity,” he said.
Prof. Ogiri appreciated the Rivers State Government, LGAs, healthcare institutions, traditional and religious leaders, development partners and the media for their support.
He specifically urged the media to amplify the message “that every birth counts, every death matters and every Nigerian deserves a legal identity.”
“As we commence this new chapter, let us all work together to build a civil registration system that is modern, inclusive and trusted by all,” the Federal Commissioner concluded.
