The Lagos State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the National Population Commission (NPC), and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), has unveiled a new electronic birth registration initiative aimed at ensuring that every child born in the state is digitally captured and granted a legal identity.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, speaking at the official launch held at the Lagos Island East LCDA Secretariat, described the initiative as a critical step toward strengthening child protection systems and achieving universal birth registration across all 20 Local Government Areas and 37 LCDAs.
Sanwo-Olu noted that Lagos already leads the country with about 94 percent of children under five registered, but stressed that the goal is to close the remaining gap. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to attaining 100 percent birth registration coverage by December, saying local government councils, community leaders, and religious institutions have been mobilised to support the push.
“Accurate data on children will help government plan properly for healthcare, education, and social services. Birth registration is the foundation for protecting every child’s rights,” the governor said.
UNICEF’s Chief of Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, praised the state’s progress and called the new initiative a major milestone in ensuring every child receives a legal identity from birth. She described birth registration as more than a bureaucratic formality, but a fundamental requirement for accessing essential services.
“Without a birth certificate, a child remains invisible. Birth registration is the first line of protection, the basis of citizenship, and the gateway to healthcare, education, and social protection,” she said.
Lafoucriere also disclosed that Lagos has been allocated a target of 545,000 children under one year to be registered this year—its share of the 3.69 million children UNICEF aims to register across 15 states. She added that all training sessions for health workers and registration officers across the 20 LGAs have been completed, with tablets and other digital registration tools already distributed.
The event was attended by the Federal Commissioner of NPC in Lagos State, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, as well as top state and local government officials. Nursing mothers were present with their infants, many of whom were registered on the spot.
On the sidelines, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Dennis Onoise, echoed Lafoucriere’s position, stressing that while Lagos has recorded impressive numbers in recent years, the focus is now on ensuring no child is left unregistered.
“We are not resting on previous achievements. The goal is universal coverage—no child left behind,” he said.
The introduction of electronic birth registration is expected to simplify the process, reduce delays, strengthen data accuracy, and bring Nigeria closer to its national objective of comprehensive and reliable civil registration systems.
