NPC, UNICEF, firm partner to improve vital registration system

The National Population Commission (NPC) has partnered with UNICEF and Barnksforte Technologies Limited in a bid to improve electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (e-CRVS) and integrate data from multiple systems in a cost-effective way.

VitalReg is a state-of-the-art digital application that offers self-service and assisted service to members of the public to register vital events such as birth registration, still-birth registration, death registration, birth attestation, diaspora birth and death notification, marriage and divorce notification, migration registration, vital certificate verification and hospital onboarding.

Speaking at a 3-day retreat to perfect and fine-tune the newly introduced digital VitalReg services on its website, the Chairman, NPC, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra explained that the VitalReg system provides a digital certificate in all cases, and accessible verification platform to registered organizations, and a central management system (dashboard) that depicts and analyzes collated civil registrations into vital statistics for proper planning and decision-making purposes.

According to him, the innovation marks a transition from traditional paper-based recording of vital events to a state-of-the-art digital solution that conforms with international best practices.

“VitalReg promises to revolutionize how vital events are recorded, tracked, and analyzed in the country,” he said.

Kwarra further stated that the Commission has the constitutional mandate to establish and maintain machinery for continuous and universal registration of births and deaths throughout the Federation.

On his part, the Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF Nigeria, Ibrahim Sessay, noted that the scaling up of the automation of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics process in Nigeria is in line with the resolution and recommendations of the Conference of African Ministers responsible for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa for all countries in the continent to automate the CRVS process and ensure the implementation of the United Nations Legal Identity Agenda.

He applauded the Commission’s efforts to increase birth registration coverage in the country to ensure that every child born in the country is registered and has an identity.

The electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (e-CRVS) was officially launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 8th November 2023 at the State House, Abuja which also witnessed the launch of the National Geospatial Data Repository and the inauguration of the National Coordination Committee on CRVS.

VitalReg system is a transformative innovation by the NPC through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement between the Commission and Barnksforte Technologies Limited – a reputable, and innovative local ICT solution provider with a track record of success in ICT solution provision with government agencies.