The National Population Commission (NPC) has launched the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (eCRVS) in Delta State to strengthen data generation and vital statistics management.
The NPC Federal Commissioner in Delta, Mrs. Blessyn Brume-Ataguba, announced this at a press briefing in Asaba on Friday.
She recalled that President Bola Tinubu formally launched the eCRVS in November 2023 as part of efforts to modernise Nigeria’s civil registration process.
Brume-Ataguba said the initiative followed resolutions reached at the Sixth Session of the Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Addis Ababa in 2022.
She noted that African ministers urged member states to automate civil registration processes and implement the United Nations Legal Identity Agenda.
According to her, Nigeria responded by developing an electronic, technology-driven system to enhance data generation and improve civil statistics nationwide.
The commissioner disclosed that the NPC, in collaboration with UNICEF, produced an eCRVS Operational Readiness Assessment Report to guide implementation.
She explained that the partnership aims to establish a fully digital civil registration system that converts records of vital events into reliable statistics for effective planning and decision-making.
Brume-Ataguba described the initiative as a complete shift from paper-based documentation to a modern digital platform aligned with international best practices.
She said the system would transform the way births and deaths were recorded, tracked and analysed across the country.
“This process marks a complete departure from the traditional paper-based recording of vital events to a state-of-the-art digital solution that conforms to international best practices.
“This eCRVS promises to revolutionise how vital events are recorded, tracked and analysed in the country.
“This will ensure commitments, and a sustained national, international financial and political investment for birth registration within the CVRS in Nigeria, ” she said.
The commissioner added that the launch demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening civil registration data capture and processing.
She stressed that improved vital statistics would support national development planning and help Nigeria achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Brume-Ataguba said the state-level launch was necessary to sensitise the media and the public on the significance of the digital registration system.
She described the press as a vital partner in informing and educating citizens about the importance of registering vital events electronically.
She assured residents that competent ICT personnel were available at the state level to address technical challenges and provide support.
The commissioner emphasised that the eCRVS would overhaul the registration of births and deaths and lay a solid foundation for efficient civil statistics management.
She urged stakeholders to collaborate with the commission to realise its goal of providing accurate and timely vital registration data.
Brume-Ataguba announced that the current phase of the e-CRVS programme would be concluded in March.
In her remarks, the NPC State Director, Mrs Jane Odigwe, appealed to the Delta Government to support the implementation of the system.
“Your partnership is vital in helping us to reach this goal,” she said.
She also urged parents to register their children, stressing that a birth certificate is essential for access to education, healthcare and other opportunities.
Odigwe said registering children today would secure their identity and future participation in Nigeria’s development.
“To every parent in Delta, I urge you to bring your children forward for birth registration.
A birth certificate is not just a document but your child’s key to education, healthcare and global opportunities.
“By registering your child today, you are giving them a voice in Nigeria of tomorrow.”
