Civil Registration: Nigeria Pledges to Support Population Commission

Posted by Eric Ojo Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Saturday, July 9th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project has pledged its support for the National Population Commission (NPC), particularly in the aspect of digitizing its Civil Registration processes.

Nigeria Digital ID4D is a Nigerian project, jointly funded by the World Bank, European Investment Bank (EIB) and the French Development Agency. The Project Development Objective is to increase the number of persons with a National Identity Number (NIN), issued by a robust and inclusive foundational Identity system, that facilitates their access to services.

The project is designed, following an Ecosystem model and not limited to any single organisation. It therefore involves different agencies of government, the private sector and civil society.

ID4D’s Project Coordinator, Musa Odole Solomon made the pledge during a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Isa Kwarra at its headquarters in Abuja.

Solomon described the Commission a critical partner in the ID4D project implementation, assuring the Commission of the project’s support. “The project had since identified the NPC as an important ecosystem partner, hence this visit”, he said.

He said the ID4D project would finance technical assistance to create the enabling legal and regulatory environment for the development of a digital Civil Register and strengthen its role in the country’s foundational ID ecosystem, including the digitization of existing birth registration processes.

On training, he noted that the project has made adequate provisions for financing institutional capacity development, aimed at building trust and credibility within the country’s ID ecosystem.

“We are determined to invest in the Civil Registry system to reinforce the foundational ID ecosystem by delivering National Identity Numbers at birth, as part of the birth registration process through links with the digitized Civil Register. We therefore seek your collaboration and active participation in the implementation process”, he added.

In his response, the NPC Chairman, Alhaji Isa Kwarra said the Commission is a willing partner in the country’s Identity project. He therefore pledged the support and cooperation of the NPC to the Nigeria ID4D project.

He also expressed delight at the project’s readiness to support the digitization of the civil register, as well as capacity development, describing them as critical needs of the Commission.

“We are trying to modernize our civil registration systems. We register births and deaths. We are supposed to be registering marriages and divorce, etc. Modernizing and digitizing our processes is very important and that is where you come in.

“We are willing to partner with you 100 percent. We are also involved in national identity coverage. I assure you of our total support and collaboration”, he further stated.

Speaking on the planned National Census, the chairman said the Commission is planning to conduct the first Digital Census in Nigeria.
Also in her remarks, the Acting Director General of the Commission, Mrs. Ugoeze Patience Mbagwu lauded the ID4D delegation for the efforts and reiterated the Commission’s readiness to partner the project.

Communications Manager of the ID4D project, Dr. Walter Duru said the highlights of the meeting were exchange of souvenirs and gift items, among others.

In attendance at the meeting were the Commission’s Federal Commissioners from different states of the federation, while the ID4D delegation was made up of top members of the management team.