The National Population Commission (NPC) has formally commenced the full digital registration of births, deaths and other vital events through its Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) system, describing the initiative as a landmark reform that will strengthen legal identity, improve governance and provide reliable demographic data for national development.
The announcement was made on Thursday at the NPC State Office, 15 Akpan Essien Lane, Uyo, during a press briefing addressed by the Honourable Federal Commissioner representing Akwa Ibom State on the National Population Commission, Chief Benedict Ukpong.
Ukpong, who spoke on behalf of the Chairman of the Commission, Dr Aminu Yusuf, said the digital registration, powered by the VitalReg platform, became operational nationwide on July 1, 2026, covering all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He described the development as one of the most significant reforms in Nigeria’s civil registration system, noting that it would ensure births, deaths and other vital events are securely documented through a modern and technology-driven platform.
“This innovation represents one of the most transformative reforms in the history of civil registration in Nigeria. It reflects the Commission’s unwavering commitment to leveraging technology to improve service delivery, strengthen data integrity and ensure that every birth registration, birth attestation, death registration and other vital event occurring in Nigeria is accurately and securely documented in digital form,” he said.
According to him, the initiative builds on the launch of the E-CRVS system and the inauguration of the National Coordination Committee on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on November 8, 2023, in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Ukpong said civil registration remains critical to national development, lamenting that although Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, millions of births and deaths are still not officially registered.
He disclosed that birth registration coverage stands at about 57 per cent nationwide, while death registration remains below 20 per cent.
“In Akwa Ibom State”, he added, approximately 60 per cent of births remain unregistered.”
He explained that the Commission currently operates 4,011 functional registration centres across the country’s 774 local government areas, with plans to increase the number to about 8,000.
He noted that Akwa Ibom State presently has 118 registration centres spread across its 31 local government areas.
Highlighting the benefits of the VitalReg platform, the Federal Commissioner said Nigerians would enjoy faster and more efficient registration services, 24-hour online access, reduced paperwork, digital certificate issuance where applicable, improved data accuracy through automated validation and a more secure national civil registration database.
He further disclosed that the Commission was working towards introducing a digital Deed Poll service that would enable official changes of name to be processed electronically and certificates issued digitally.
Ukpong also announced that the Commission had entered into a partnership with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, the National Identity Management Commission, UNICEF and Barnksforte Technologies Limited to decentralise birth registration and legal identity services to communities across the country.
He believed the collaboration would improve accessibility, strengthen grassroots participation and enhance the accuracy and inclusiveness of Nigeria’s civil registration system.
On the sustainability of the digital platform, Ukpong said the Commission had reviewed charges for specialised administrative services such as record modifications, certificate reissuance, attestations and verification requests.
He, however, assured Nigerians that birth registration and birth notification services would remain highly subsidised to promote universal registration.
“The 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 birth registration,” he said.
He urged the Akwa Ibom State Government, local government councils, health institutions, schools, traditional rulers, religious organisations, civil society groups and residents to support the registration of every birth, death and other vital events across the state.
Earlier, the State Director of the National Population Commission, Prince Isemin Edet Isemin, welcomed stakeholders and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to the successful implementation of the E-CRVS system in Akwa Ibom State.
Isemin said the state office remained fully aligned with the Commission’s national vision of strengthening civil registration through digital innovation and called on residents to embrace the VitalReg platform to ensure that every vital event is promptly registered.
The event was attended by government officials, representatives of partner organisations, traditional and religious leaders, civil society groups and members of the media.
