NPC Takes Birth, Death Registration Digital in Enugu

…VitalReg platform goes live as commission moves to close registration gaps and strengthen population data

The National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced the full digital registration of births and deaths in Enugu State, marking a significant shift towards a more efficient and digitally driven civil registration system.

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The rollout is being implemented through the commission’s Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) framework and the newly operational VitalReg platform, which is designed to improve the accessibility, efficiency and reliability of birth and death registration across Nigeria.

The NPC Federal Commissioner representing Enugu State, Hon. Ejike Ezeh, disclosed this on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, during a joint media briefing at the commission’s state headquarters in Enugu.

The briefing also featured activities connected with the 2026 World Population Day and an operational review of the digital registration rollout across the state.

According to Ezeh, the digital registration system became operational across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory on July 1, 2026.

He explained that the initiative builds on the E-CRVS framework launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on November 8, 2023.

Ezeh described the digital transformation of civil registration as an important intervention in addressing Nigeria’s long-standing population data challenges, stressing that accurate records of births and deaths are essential for effective planning, public policy, resource allocation and development.

“This step is significant to strengthen civil registration, enhance the generation of vital statistics, and ensure that every birth and death occurring in Nigeria is captured through a modern, efficient, and digitally enabled registration system,” he said.

The commissioner disclosed that Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, but a significant proportion are still not formally registered.

He said birth registration coverage currently stands at about 57 per cent nationwide, while death registration remains below 20 per cent.

According to him, the registration gaps deprive many Nigerians of formal legal identity and limit the availability of reliable demographic information required for effective national planning.

To improve access to registration services, the NPC said it has activated 4,011 functional registration centres across the country’s 774 local government areas.

The commission is also working towards expanding the network to 8,000 registration centres nationwide, bringing registration services closer to communities and residents who may have difficulty accessing conventional registration facilities.

The NPC has further established a multi-agency partnership under its Decentralisation and Localisation of Birth Registration and Legal Identity initiative.

The partnership involves the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), UNICEF, and Banksforte Technologies Limited, the commission’s technical partner.

The NPC said the partnership with Banksforte Technologies will support key components of the digital system, including round-the-clock online access, automated data validation, digital certificate issuance and secure integration with Nigeria’s identity-management ecosystem.

The commission expects the digital platform to improve the speed, accuracy and security of civil registration while strengthening the availability of vital statistics for government planning.

Ezeh also addressed concerns over the review of administrative fees for some civil registration services.

He explained that the adjustments apply mainly to specialised services such as record modifications, attestations and certificate reissuances, which he said were necessary to sustain the technical infrastructure supporting the digital registration system.

He, however, assured Nigerians that the review was not intended to create barriers to accessing basic registration services.

“Let me assure Nigerians that this review is not intended to create barriers to access. Birth registration and birth notification services remain highly subsidised, in line with the commission’s commitment to achieving universal registration,” Ezeh said.

The media briefing was followed by an operational review meeting involving registration officers and local government area controllers from all 17 local government areas of Enugu State.

The officials submitted field reports to the State Director on the progress of the digital registration rollout across their respective local government areas.

The reports were expected to help the commission assess the implementation of the new system, identify operational challenges and strengthen coordination among registration officers and local government authorities.

The commencement of digital birth and death registration in Enugu represents an important development in the state’s civil registration system, with potential implications for access to legal identity and the availability of reliable population data.

Beyond the issuance of official birth and death records, improved civil registration can provide government with more accurate demographic information to support planning in areas such as healthcare, education, social protection, infrastructure and identity management.

With the VitalReg platform now operational, the NPC is expected to continue working with state and local government authorities, development partners and other stakeholders to expand registration coverage and reduce Nigeria’s longstanding civil registration gap.

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