NPC CALLS FOR CONSOLIDATION OF CIVIL REGISTRATION LAWS TO BOOST DIGITAL REFORMS

The National Population Commission (NPC) has called on the National Assembly to harmonize Nigeria’s existing population and civil registration laws into a single, modernized framework aimed at strengthening the country’s digital identity and civil registration systems.

Speaking at a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on National Identity Card and National Population on the Bill for an Act to Repeal the Births, Deaths, Etc. (Compulsory Registration) Act, Cap B9, LFN 2004, and Enact the Compulsory Civil Registration Act, 2025, held today, 15 December 2025, NPC Chairman Dr. Aminu Yusuf, represented by the Federal Commissioner for Adamawa State, Dr. Clifford Zirra, described the proposed legislation as both timely and essential for effective governance.

Dr. Zirra noted that the Commission’s constitutional mandate includes maintaining continuous and universal registration of births and deaths and providing credible population data to support economic planning and national development.

He explained that the NPC currently operates under two major laws, the National Population Commission Act and the Births, Deaths, Etc. (Compulsory Registration) Act. However, the coexistence of these laws, he observed, has often led to duplication, jurisdictional overlap, and inefficiencies. To address these challenges, the Commission recommended merging both laws into a single, comprehensive legal instrument to enhance clarity, streamline operations, and eliminate redundancies.

According to Dr. Zirra, the proposed reform aligns with ongoing efforts to integrate technology and digital tools into civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems, foster interoperability among government agencies, and strengthen collaboration with partners such as UNICEF.

Drawing a parallel with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which consolidated multiple laws into one unified framework, Dr. Zirra said a similar approach would yield greater transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness in managing civil registration and population data in Nigeria.

He urged the Senate Committee on National Identity and Population to adopt the Commission’s recommendations to ensure the establishment of a unified, technology-driven civil registration system that can effectively support national development goals.

Declaring the public hearing open, Senate President, Senator Dr. Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, represented by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, emphasized the critical role of accurate and comprehensive vital registration in national development.

“Accurate and comprehensive vital registration is the DNA of our sovereign state,” he stated. “It empowers the government to plan for the future, allocate resources efficiently, from schools and hospitals to infrastructure and, most importantly, provide every citizen with a definite legal identity.

”Senator Akpabio reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to creating a legislative environment that promotes data-driven governance and national security. He described a seamless, efficient, and reliable civil registration system as a non-negotiable foundation for a credible national identity card scheme essential for national security and development.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Identity and Population, Senator Victor Umeh, OFR, said the public hearing was designed to gather expert opinions, sectoral insights, and stakeholder recommendations to help craft a law that reflects global best practices and addresses Nigeria’s demographic realities.

He lamented that Nigeria has for decades operated under an outdated civil registration framework that no longer meets modern development needs. “We have relied on estimates, projections, and fragmented identity systems,” he said, “and this has compromised planning accuracy in critical sectors such as education, health, national security, social welfare, electoral management, economic strategy, and resource allocation.”

Senator Umeh stressed that with the world adopting digital and integrated civil registration systems, Nigeria must transition from its paper-based, inconsistent records to a fully electronic, technology-driven platform if it hopes to plan effectively and compete globally.

The event was attended by key stakeholders, including representatives from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), UNICEF Nigeria, civil society organizations, and the Nigerian Army.

The NPC delegation comprised Federal Commissioners, the Director-General, and senior technical staff.