By GIFT ESUMIKE and USMAN ALIYU

The National Population Commission (NPC) says Nigerians living abroad can now initiate the registration of births and deaths through a secure self-service digital platform from anywhere in the world.

Dr Tony Aiyejina, Federal Commissioner representing Edo in the commission, disclosed this on Friday during a news conference in Benin.

Aiyejina said the digital registration system became operational nationwide on July 1, replacing the paper-based process that had been in use since 1988.

He said the innovation would make the registration of births and deaths faster, more secure and reliable.

“Since 1988, the NPC has been doing registration; it has been on paper. In keeping with today’s reality, we must go digital so that our services can be more dependable and reliable,” he said.

The NPC boss explained that existing paper records would be migrated to the digital platform to ensure that vital registration records were not lost.

According to him, the new system will also reduce delays, minimise errors, prevent duplication and fraud, and make the retrieval of records easier.

Aiyejina said accurate birth and death records remained critical for planning in healthcare, education, housing, employment and social welfare.

He urged parents, healthcare providers, traditional rulers, religious organisations and other stakeholders to support the initiative by ensuring that births and deaths were promptly registered.

Mrs Agnes Ibadin, NPC State Director in Edo, said the commission had commenced digital birth registration in health centres across the state.

Ibadin said registrars were working with healthcare providers to capture births at health facilities, making it unnecessary for people in remote communities to travel long distances to access registration services.

“We go to every health centre to capture births from women who come for immunisation. We still have an MOU with the health providers,” she said.

She said health centres would serve as registration contact points for surrounding communities, eliminating the need for parents to travel far with their children to register births.

According to her, the arrangement is part of the commission’s efforts to make civil registration more accessible and ensure that people in remote communities are not left behind.

The event also featured a practical demonstration of the digital registration process. (NAN)

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