Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – Lagos State has launched a digital birth registration system in partnership with UNICEF, the National Population Commission (NPC) and ALGON, marking a major push to ensure every child is recorded at birth and included in Nigeria’s national identity database.
Unveiled on Thursday in Lagos, the E-Birth Registration Initiative aims to eliminate gaps in civil registration and strengthen long-term planning for health, education and social services.
Chief of UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, said birth registration is fundamental to a child’s rights. “Without a birth certificate, a child is invisible. Invisible children cannot access healthcare, education or social services,” she said.
Lagos currently leads nationally, with an estimated 94% of children under five registered, but Lafoucriere urged intensified outreach in underserved communities. UNICEF is supporting the registration of 3.69 million children under one across 15 states, with Lagos targeting 545,000 this year.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the new system links a child’s data from birth to their National Identification Number (NIN), closing major gaps in population planning.
“Every child aged zero to 12 months must be registered under the National Population Commission. With e-registration, data will be captured right from birth.”
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