Lagos, UNICEF Launch Electronic Birth Registration to Track Children’s Identities

• The Lagos State Government, in partnership with UNICEF, NPC, and ALGON, has launched an electronic birth registration initiative to ensure every child in the state is captured in the national database and granted legal identity.

The Lagos State Government has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the National Population Commission (NPC), and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to launch an electronic birth registration initiative. The programme aims to ensure that every child born in Lagos is officially recorded in the national database and granted legal identity.

Speaking at the launch, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu highlighted the significance of the initiative, which focuses on strengthening the digital registration of children under one year. He said the project forms part of ongoing efforts to achieve universal birth registration across all local government areas in the state.

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Currently, Lagos leads the nation with about 94 per cent of children under five already registered. Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of UNICEF Lagos Field Office, described the initiative as a major advancement in protecting children’s rights.

She noted, “Birth registration is not a bureaucratic process but a vital tool that grants every child access to healthcare, education, and social protection. Without a birth certificate, a child remains invisible.”

Lafoucriere also commended the Lagos State Government for demonstrating leadership and commitment to child protection, saying the initiative sets a benchmark for other states to follow.