LunagisthubNigeria’s Path to a Digital Civil Registry: A Leap Towards Effective Governance
The House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards modernizing Nigeria’s civil registration system by advocating for a fully digital registry for births, deaths, marriages, and other vital events. This move aims to address the country’s outdated system, which has resulted in millions of Nigerians being born and dying without official records.
that only about 57% of births and less than 20% of deaths are registered nationwide. This has significant implications for national planning, service delivery, and security management.
A digital civil registry would provide a reliable and efficient way to collect, manage, and share vital statistics. This would have numerous benefits, including:
Accurate population data would enable the government to plan effectively for education, health, and social services.
A reliable identity management system would help prevent identity fraud, terrorism, and crime.
Accurate data would enable the government to target services more effectively and make informed decisions.
While Nigeria has made attempts to modernize its civil registration system, challenges such as limited funding, coordination issues, and legal bottlenecks have hindered progress. However, with the support of development agencies like UNICEF and the National Population Commission, pilot projects have shown promise.
The proposed legislation seeks to introduce a secure electronic framework for collecting, managing, and sharing vital statistics. This would bring Nigeria’s civil registration system up to global standards and provide a foundation for sound governance. As Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, noted, “Accurate and timely registration of births, deaths, marriages, and other vital events is the foundation of sound governance.” With a digital civil registry in place, Nigeria can take a significant step towards effective governance and development.
Lunagisthub
