Muhammad Sani
The national orientation agency NOA, in collaboration with the National Population Commission NPC with support from UNICEF, has commenced a Digital Birth Registration mobilization drive.
The exercise aims to aid National planning and development, focusing attention on the birth registration of children between ages 0 – 5 years and providing them with NIN numbers for free.
The nationwide digital birth registration social mobilization drive was aimed at ensuring that every child in Nigeria has access to education, healthcare, and other essential services.
The NOA Kano state acting director, Alhaji Rabi’u Ado explained that birth registration is a fundamental right of every child, noting that the initiative seeks to highlight its importance to the child, the family, the community, and the nation at large.
He maintained that the ongoing phase of the digital birth registration would last for 30 days, saying that the registered children would be given National Identification Number, NIN, and birth certificate without charges.
“NOA Kano is reiterated to provide all the necessary support and available resources by embarking on the door-to-door campaign to ensure sensitization gets to the grassroots”
The acting director urged parents and relevant stakeholders to work together to give every child in Nigeria the best start in life, adding that, registering their birth would not only secure their future but also contribute to national development.
“Birth registration is the first legal acknowledgement of a child’s existence and is essential for safeguarding their rights and privileges for now and in the future”
The state director Kano NPC Alhaji Balarabe Kabir pointed out that, there are 245 digital birth registration centers across the 44 local government areas.
He hinted that , initially the exercise was done manually but with the support of UNICEF the process has been upgraded to digital.
“We are here to launch the drive with NOA who is the sole agency saddled with the responsibilities of sensitizing the public to enable the newly recruited over 3,000 ad-hoc volunteers who will mobilize the public to utilize the opportunity “
UNICEF Kano field office representative Mrs Larai Ogwantu noted that e-birth registration has been going on for several weeks as it is the 2nd phase.
She noted that, last year over 6,000 children were registered and in 2024 another 6,000 are targeted as it is an ongoing process.
