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Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, has unveiled a commemorative birth certificate to accelerate birth registration across the country. Speaking at the official launch of the 2024 UNICEF/RHI Commemorative Birth Certificate in Abuja, Senator Oluremi Tinubu emphasized that a strong and efficient civil registration system is crucial for national development and governance.
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She highlighted that the renewed focus on registering every live birth will support Nigeria in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16. “It is important to note that a robust and efficient civil registration system is pivotal to our development and governance. This ensures that every live birth is recorded and forms the basis for policy, planning, and service delivery that meets the needs of all Nigerians. This is more than an administrative task; it provides the foundation for our social security,” Tinubu stated.
Birth registration and NIN could foster development
The Director General and CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, also underscored the importance of birth registration and the National Identification Number (NIN) in fostering development in Nigeria.
At the launch of the Renewed Hope Initiative project, she praised the collaboration between the NIMC and the National Population Commission (NPC) for its role in accelerating birth registration and supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda to strengthen digital identity and birth registration in Nigeria.
Coker-Odusote commended the NPC for its efforts in accelerating and digitalizing birth registration and assured that the NIMC would continue to be a key partner in promoting social and educational advancements in the country. “Birth registration is not only important for the individual; it is also crucial for the development of the nation,” she stated. She reiterated that digital birth and NIN registration would enhance access to government education, healthcare, and other social benefits for all Nigerians, particularly children. She stressed that birth registration is a fundamental right and a key component of the nation’s development plans.
She called on civil society, international partners, and all stakeholders to work together to make birth registration a universal practice in Nigeria. Coker-Odusote also assured that NIMC would continue to provide seamless NIN registration services to all Nigerians, especially children under 16 years of age.
She concluded by thanking the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her unwavering support for the success of NIN and birth registration initiatives in Nigeria.
