President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (e-CRVS), alongside the National Geospatial Data Repository and the National Coordination Committee on CRVS.
The development was contained in a joint statement issued by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the National Population Commission (NPC) on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.
According to the statement, this launch, realized through the collaboration of the NPC, UNICEF, and Barnksforte Technologies Limited, marked a decisive step toward enhancing Nigeria’s civil registration and vital statistics system, underpinning the nation’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16.9.2 for legal identity for all.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony, the Chairman, National Population Commission, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, expressed his enthusiasm, saying “The aim of this high-level event is to emphasize the commitment of the current government and leadership to strengthen civil registration data capturing, collation, processing, dissemination and timely access to vital statistics in the country.
“It is to accelerate the improved civil registration and vital statistics systems in Nigeria over a period of ten years, from 2023 to 2030 in a bid to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG):16.9.2 – legal identity for all, including birth registration”.
On her part, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Cristian Munduate informed that, “digitizing civil registration in Nigeria transcends technology; it’s a pledge to future generations. Now, every child’s existence will be acknowledged, marking a new era where every significant life event informs our nation’s development”.
This initiative aligns with the United Nations Legal Identity Agenda and the resolutions of the African Ministers’ Conference in Addis Ababa, advocating for a technological shift in data generation.
The strategic partnership between NPC and UNICEF, complemented by the Public-Private Partnership with Barnksforte Technologies Limited, is set to overhaul the registration of vital events, transitioning Nigeria from a paper-based system to an internationally aligned digital framework.
The newly established CRVS National Coordination Committee is tasked with steering the e-CRVS system, ensuring Nigeria’s capability to capture and leverage vital statistics.
Through this transformation, Nigeria is laying the groundwork for an effective civil registration system, essential for national planning, policymaking, and achieving the global ambition of legal identity for all.
