UNICEF, FG Intensify Birth Registration Drive As Millions Of Nigerian Children Remain Invisible
Officials warn that millions of unregistered children face lifelong barriers to healthcare, education and legal protection as government and development partners expand nationwide birth registration efforts.
Millions of Nigerian Children Remain Legally Invisible
MORE than 28 million Nigerian children under the age of five lack official birth certificates, leaving them without legal identity and exposing them to heightened risks of exploitation, exclusion from essential services and lifelong administrative challenges.
Latest figures released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicate that approximately 20 million children have never been registered at birth, while another eight million were registered but have yet to receive official birth certificates. The figures place Nigeria among the countries with the highest number of undocumented children worldwide.
Development experts say the situation extends far beyond documentation, warning that legal identity is the foundation upon which children access healthcare, education, social protection and other fundamental rights.
Why Birth Registration Matters
Birth registration, carried out by the National Population Commission (NPC), provides official recognition of a child’s existence, nationality and age. The record later becomes essential for obtaining a National Identification Number (NIN), enrolling in school, accessing healthcare, applying for passports, securing employment and claiming inheritance rights.
UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, described birth registration as a child’s first legal recognition by the state, warning that children who remain undocumented are more vulnerable to trafficking, child labour, early marriage and other forms of exploitation.
NPC Chairman, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, also described birth registration as the foundation of citizenship, stressing that every Nigerian child deserves legal recognition regardless of birthplace or social status.
Poverty, Distance & Low Awareness Remain Major Barriers
Despite birth registration being free within the prescribed period, many parents fail to complete the process because of poor public awareness, transportation costs and the long distances separating rural communities from registration centres.
Many families also mistake hospital birth notifications or immunisation cards for official birth certificates, leaving children outside the country’s legal records.
Health workers say greater public education is needed to ensure parents understand that registration must be completed through the National Population Commission.
Government, UNICEF Expand Nationwide Campaign
To address the growing documentation gap, the Federal Government, UNICEF and the National Population Commission have intensified efforts through the Renewed Hope Initiative Birth Registration Campaign, championed by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The initiative seeks to expand electronic birth registration across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, integrate registration into routine maternal and child healthcare services, and take registration centres closer to communities.
Officials say digital registration will reduce delays, improve data accuracy and strengthen national planning for healthcare, education, vaccination, housing and social protection.
Experts believe universal birth registration will not only safeguard children’s rights but also provide Nigeria with more reliable population data needed for effective governance, economic planning and national development.
