Nigeria NPC launches digital birth/death registration

The National Population Commission (NPC) of Nigeria has commenced nationwide digital registration of births and deaths under the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (ECRVS) system, known as the VitalReg platform, effective July 1, 2026. The initiative aims to address Nigeria's chronic identity deficit by capturing all births and deaths through a modern technology-driven platform. NPC Chairman Aminu Yusuf announced that Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, yet birth registration coverage stands at about 57% and death registration below 20%. The NPC has established 4,011 functional registration centres across 774 local government areas, with plans to expand to about 8,000. The platform offers 24-hour online access, digital certificate issuance, automated data validation, and integration with other government digital identity systems. The NPC has partnered with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the Nigeria — National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), UNICEF, and Barnksforte Technologies to decentralize registration. Fees for specialized administrative services have been reviewed, but birth registration and notification remain highly subsidized. The digital transition builds on the E-CRVS system launched by President Bola Tinubu in November 2023.