NPC Goes Digital, Ends Manual Birth, Death Registration

By Cyril Oluwabusayomi

BENIN CITY – In a landmark move aimed at modernising Nigeria's civil registration system, the National Population Commission (NPC) has officially commenced the electronic registration of births and deaths in Edo State, bringing to an end the era of paper-based registration.

Launching the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (e-CRVS) platform in Benin City on Friday, the Federal Commissioner representing Edo State at the National Population Commission, Dr. Tony Aiyejina, announced that, with effect from July 1, 2026, all birth and death registrations across the country are now processed exclusively through a fully digital platform.

He described the initiative as a major milestone in Nigeria's drive towards digital governance, noting that the new system will eliminate delays associated with manual documentation, reduce human errors, improve data accuracy, strengthen the security of records, prevent duplication and fraud, and make the retrieval of vital records faster and more efficient.

According to Aiyejina, every birth and death registration will henceforth be processed electronically through the Commission's Virtual Records Platform, making the registration process more secure, transparent and reliable while providing government with credible and real-time population data for national planning.

"The availability of accurate and timely vital statistics will significantly enhance infrastructure development, healthcare delivery, education planning, housing, employment generation, social welfare programmes and evidence-based policymaking," he said.

In what he described as one of the most remarkable features of the new system, the Federal Commissioner disclosed that Nigerians living in the diaspora can now initiate birth and death registration through a secure self-service platform from anywhere in the world, thereby expanding access to essential civil registration services beyond the country's borders.

He stressed that civil registration remains more than a statutory obligation, describing it as the foundation for protecting individual identity and ensuring that every Nigerian is recognised and counted in national development.

Aiyejina assured residents that the Commission had fully prepared for the transition by equipping registration centres, training personnel and putting all operational structures in place to guarantee seamless, technology-driven service delivery.

He commended the Chairman, Commissioners, management and staff of the National Population Commission, as well as development partners and other stakeholders, for their commitment and support in making the nationwide digital transformation of Nigeria's civil registration system a reality.

The Federal Commissioner appealed to parents, guardians, healthcare providers, traditional rulers, religious organisations, community leaders and all relevant stakeholders to ensure the prompt registration of every birth and death, urging Nigerians to embrace the digital platform and support the successful implementation of the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System.

He expressed confidence that the initiative would position Nigeria among countries operating internationally compliant digital civil registration systems while laying a solid foundation for sustainable national development. 

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