By George Ozalla
In a landmark move, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), National Population Commission (NPC), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) have joined forces to scale up birth registration and legal identity for children under five in Nigeria.
The partnership, formalized at a two-day high-level engagement in Abuja from May 28 to 29 at the Ladi Kwali Conference Hall of the Abuja Continental Hotel, aims to develop a compact to increase static registration points for birth certification and National Identification Number (NIN) enrollment at the ward level, targeting underserved communities.
NPC Director-General Dr. Osifo Tellson Ojogun emphasized the strategic significance of inter-agency collaboration, saying, “This partnership is a pivotal step in expanding access to birth registration and legal identity services for children under five. It aligns with our mandate to strengthen Nigeria’s civil registration and vital statistics system to inform sustainable development planning.”
ALGON President Hon. Engr. Bello Lawal reaffirmed the Association’s commitment, noting, “ALGON is fully committed to providing the necessary logistics to mobilize communities and ensure widespread participation.”
UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief Child Protection Officer Dr. Ibrahim Sesay added, “Legal identity is a cornerstone of child protection and inclusive development. This initiative supports SDG 16.9 by ensuring legal identity for all, especially vulnerable children.”
The initiative will integrate digital infrastructure, decentralized delivery systems, and data interoperability to boost inclusivity and sustainability in legal identity access. UNICEF will provide essential tools across 2,233 wards in 206 LGAs in the pilot states and train field personnel to drive implementation.
This strategic alliance marks a critical milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward closing the identity gap, ensuring every child is registered, recognized, and counted. The meeting was attended by Federal Commissioners of the NPC from several states and senior representatives from NIMC, ALGON, and other partner organizations.
