NPC Chairman, Dr. Aminu Yusuf
The National Population Commission (NPC) has begun nationwide digital registration of births and deaths through its VitalReg Platform, describing the initiative as a major step towards strengthening Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system.
NPC Chairman, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, said this during a press briefing marking the 2026 World Population Day, adding that the platform became fully operational across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory from July 1, 2026.
Yusuf said the digital registration system would improve access to legal identity, enhance data accuracy and support evidence-based planning.
Speaking on this year’s World Population Day theme, “Realising the Hopes and Aspirations of Young People—Today and for the Future,” Yusuf said Nigeria’s estimated population of over 238 million, with a predominantly youthful demographic, presents immense opportunities for national development.
He said young Nigerians must be provided with quality education, healthcare, employment opportunities, social protection and legal identity to enable them to contribute meaningfully to the country’s growth.
He noted that the initiative builds on the electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) system launched by President Bola Tinubu in November 2023, adding that it aligns with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda.
According to him, the commission has established 4,011 registration centres across the country’s 774 local government areas and plans to expand the network to about 8,000 centres to bring registration services closer to communities.
He said the VitalReg Platform would offer faster registration processes, round-the-clock online access to services, reduced paperwork, shorter waiting periods, improved data validation and stronger protection of citizens’ records.
The NPC chairman lamented the low level of birth and death registration in the country, disclosing that although Nigeria records about five million births annually, birth registration coverage remains about 57 per cent, while death registration is below 20 per cent.
He said the gap deprives millions of Nigerians of legal identity and weakens the availability of reliable demographic data needed for policy formulation and national development.
Yusuf said the commission had strengthened collaboration with ministries, departments and agencies, state and local governments, healthcare institutions, traditional and religious leaders, as well as development partners to ensure prompt registration of vital events.
He also unveiled a partnership involving the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), UNICEF and Barnksforte Technologies Limited to decentralise birth registration and improve access to legal identity services at the grassroots.
According to him, the platform is operated under a Public-Private Partnership with Barnksforte Technologies Limited as the commission’s technical partner, ensuring continuous system availability, cybersecurity and technical support.
Yusuf disclosed that the commission had reviewed charges for specialised administrative services, including record modifications, certificate reissuance, attestations and verification requests, to sustain the digital infrastructure.
However, he stressed that birth registration and birth notification services remain highly subsidised to promote universal civil registration.
The NPC chairman urged the media to continue raising awareness of population issues, youth development, legal identity and digital transformation, noting that credible demographic data remains essential for effective governance and sustainable development.
