In a major step towards improving child protection and accurate population data in Lagos State, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in partnership with the Lagos State Government, has launched an electronic birth registration (E-birth) platform.
The initiative aims to ensure seamless birth registration, strengthen data collection, and guarantee that every child is captured and accounted for in government planning.
Speaking at the launch held at the Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the Chief of UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his commitment to child registration and digital data systems.
She emphasized that birth registration goes far beyond documentation.“Birth registration is more than paperwork,” Lafoucriere stated.
“It is an important tool for giving every child a legal identity and access to essential services such as healthcare and education. Without a birth certificate, a child cannot access healthcare properly, cannot enroll in school, and cannot get social services.
They are invisible. And we know what happens to invisible children.”Lagos State currently leads the country in birth registration, with approximately 94% of children under five already registered. However,
Lafoucriere stressed that more effort is needed to reach children in informal settlements and hard-to-reach communities.
According to her, UNICEF is supporting the registration of 3.69 million children under one year across 15 states, with Lagos alone targeting 545,000 children for registration this year.
She called for robust collaboration among government agencies, local councils, civil society groups, traditional and religious leaders, and the media.
“Today is not just a launch; it is about accountability. Every stakeholder must play their part so that no child is left out,” she said.
In his address, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu described the E-birth platform as a transformative step in capturing children’s data from birth and linking it to their National Identification Number (NIN).
.“Every child from zero to 12 months must be registered under the National Population Commission. With the E-registration, their data will be collected right from birth, and that is the way forward,” the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu highlighted that reliable population data is crucial for effective planning in healthcare, education, and general development.
He noted that all local government chairmen were present to cascade the initiative to their communities.
He commended UNICEF, the National Population Commission (NPC), ALGON, and other partners for their collaboration, noting that the new digital system positions Lagos to become the first state in Nigeria to achieve full birth registration coverage.
Speaking on the technical goals of the initiative, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Mr. Dennis Onoise, explained that the electronic registration platform was created to overcome existing limitations and help the state meet its target of 545,000 registrations this year.He reiterated UNICEF’s commitment to continued partnership with government agencies and key stakeholders, stressing that the benefits of child registration to individuals, families, and society cannot be overstated.
Reporting by Julie Ekong