Nigeria is transitioning from paper-based birth registration to a digital Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system known as VitalReg, as the National Population Commission (NPC) moves to modernise the country’s civil registration process.
The digital system is designed to improve the registration, storage and retrieval of vital records while making it easier to link civil-registration information with citizens’ identities.
For Nigerians who already have old or manual birth certificates, the transition does not mean their existing documents are automatically invalid. The NPC provides a Certificate Reissuance service through which eligible holders of non-digital certificates can obtain a reissued record through the commission’s digital system.
Who can Register a Birth in Nigeria?
Under the NPC’s current process, birth registration covers individuals aged 0 to 17, while Birth Attestation is applicable to persons aged 18 and above.
For children between 0 and 5 years, birth registration is available free of charge at NPC registration centres.
The distinction between registration and attestation is important because applicants are directed to different processes depending on their age.
Parents registering the birth of a child may also be required to provide information connected to their own civil-registration records.
NIN Becomes Important Part of the Process
The National Identification Number (NIN) is increasingly important in Nigeria’s civil-registration system.
NPC’s digital platform uses NIN information to help connect an individual’s identity with their civil-registration records. This is part of the broader effort to create more reliable and integrated government identity records.
For a child’s birth registration, the child’s NIN is among the information required by the system. In some cases, the parent’s Birth Attestation Number may also be required.
The integration of NIN with birth records is particularly significant as Nigeria continues efforts to strengthen identity management and reduce duplication or inconsistencies in official records.
What Happens to Manual Birth Certificates?
Nigerians who possess an older, non-digital birth certificate can use the NPC’s Certificate Reissuance service if they meet the eligibility requirements.
Rather than starting the process from scratch, eligible applicants can provide details of their existing certificate and have the record processed through the commission’s digital system.
Applicants using the reissuance service are required to provide their NIN and upload a copy of their old, non-digital birth certificate.
This makes the reissuance process particularly relevant to Nigerians who obtained birth certificates before the country’s transition to more digitally integrated civil-registration systems.
Why Nigeria is Moving to Digital Birth Registration
Birth registration is an important component of civil registration because it provides official evidence of a person’s identity, age and existence.
A reliable digital system can also make it easier for government agencies to verify records and reduce dependence on physical documents that can be lost, damaged or difficult to authenticate.
How to Apply For New Certificate
Parents and other interested individuals can apply for the digital birth certificate through this link
National Population Commission official website
Applicants should avoid relying on unofficial websites or intermediaries when submitting sensitive identity information such as NIN details and copies of birth certificates.
