Birth Registration Drive Gains Momentum In Kano Communities

A community-based birth registration outreach in Yamadawa, Dorayi Babba, and Dorayi Karama in the Dorayi area of Gwale Local Government Area, Kano State, has recorded increased participation as parents and caregivers turn out in large numbers to register children under one year of age.

The exercise forms part of efforts to close Nigeria’s persistent birth registration gap and expand legal identity coverage among children.

The outreach is implemented under the “Accelerating Birth Registration and Leave No Child Behind in Nigeria 2026” programme, led by the United Nations Children’s Fund United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the National Population Commission National Population Commission (NPC), the National Identity Management Commission National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), with funding support from the Government of the Netherlands.

The initiative targets children aged zero to 12 months, deploying Nigeria’s electronic birth registration (eBR) system to enable real-time registration and instant issuance of birth certificates at community level.

Beneficiaries described the exercise as timely and impactful.

A resident, Maryam Murtala, said she was able to register her eight-month-old child after missing the opportunity at birth, adding that the process was seamless and free, and noting that birth certificates are essential for school enrolment and access to services.

Similarly, Sumaila Lawan Bello, who travelled from Ungwan Lemo, urged other parents to take advantage of the exercise, while Fatima Mohammad said the outreach enabled her to register a child born at home.

The Head of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics at the NPC Kano office, Hajiya Fatima Mohammed Bashir, said the project promotes early registration, noting that many parents often delay until school age. She added that the e-registration system has improved service delivery through instant issuance of certificates.

ALGON focal person in Gwale, Habibu Babale, disclosed that over 700 children have been registered since the campaign began in April, attributing the outcome to strong community mobilisation by traditional leaders.

The village head of Yamadawa A in Dorayi Babba, Alhaji Ahmed Badamasi, commended the initiative for bringing services closer to the people.

The deputy chief registrar of NPC in Gwale, Ali Nuhu, described the outreach as a targeted intervention for vulnerable children and called for longer implementation periods to cover more communities.

He stressed that birth registration remains a fundamental right and a gateway to education, healthcare, and social protection, urging parents to ensure their children are duly registered.