Senate backs electronic birth, death registration, moves to repeal 2004 legislation

The Senate on Monday called for the adoption of anelectronic and integrated civil registration system to strengthen nationalplanning and governance. Speaking in Abuja on Monday at a public hearing, VictorUmeh, senator representing Anambra central and chairman of the senate committeeon National Identity Card and national population, said the global shifttowards digital and integrated civil registration systems has made it necessaryfor Nigeria to follow suit. The hearing focused on a bill seeking to repeal the Births,Deaths, etc. (Compulsory Registration) Act, Cap B9, LFN 2004, and enact theCompulsory Civil Registration Act, 2025. “If Nigeria must compete globally and plan effectively, wemust transition from paper-based and inconsistent records to a fully electronicand integrated platform,” he said. The lawmaker, who sponsored the bill, said the reform iscritical to ensuring accurate recording of every birth and death in thecountry. Umeh described civil registration as the foundation forcredible population data, effective national planning and transparentgovernance. He said the public hearing was organised to gather expertopinions, sectoral perspectives and stakeholder recommendations to shape a lawthat reflects global best practices. Umeh added that Nigeria had operated for decades under anoutdated civil registration framework that could not meet modern developmentneeds. “We have relied on estimated projections and fragmentedidentity systems, which challenge the accuracy of planning across education,health and national security,” he said. The senator said the bill seeks to guarantee theregistration of every birth and death regardless of location, socio-economicstatus, gender or faith. He added that the proposed law would enable real-timedigital registration nationwide, including rural communities, through mobileand electronic platforms. Umeh said the bill would also strengthen the nationalidentity architecture through synergy among the National Identity ManagementCommission (NIMC), National Population Commission (NPC), Nigeria ImmigrationService (NIS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and health institutions. Senate President Godswill Akpabio described accurate andcomprehensive civil registration as “the very DNA of our sovereign state”. Akpabio, represented by Onyekachi Nwebonyi, deputy chiefwhip of the senate, said vital registration empowers the government to planeffectively and allocate resources efficiently. He assured that the national assembly remained committed topromoting data-driven governance and national security through supportivelegislation. “A seamless, efficient and reliable system of registeringbirths, deaths, marriages and divorces is a non-negotiable prerequisite for acredible national identity card system, which is pivotal to our collectivesecurity,” the senate president said. Aminu Yusuf, chairman of the NPC, said the proposedamendments could not have come at a better time. Represented by Clifford Zirra, federal commissioner forAdamawa state, Yusuf said the commission is working to mainstream technologyand develop interoperable digital platforms. He said the NPC had collaborated with private consultantswith support from UNICEF throughout the review process. Yusuf commended the senate committee and stakeholders andcalled for holistic amendments to existing population and registration laws toeliminate duplication and enhance implementation. Daniel Okoh, president of the Christian Association ofNigeria (CAN), applauded the senate for taking what he described as a bold stepto repeal the 2004 Act. Okoh urged the committee to amend section nine of the billby replacing “religious minister” with “clergy”. “Anybody can claim to be a religious minister; we needclarity on who qualifies as clergy, including pastors, priests and imams,” theCAN president said.

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