The National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced full digital registration of births and deaths across Kogi State using its new Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) platform, known as VitalReg.
The Federal Commissioner representing Kogi State at the NPC, Hon. Yori Afolabi, announced the rollout during a press briefing in Lokoja on Tuesday. He noted that the transition to the digital platform took effect on July 1, 2026.
Afolabi described the rollout as a major reform designed to modernize Nigeria’s civil registration framework and replace manual documentation processes.
The commissioner explained that the nationwide deployment builds on the E-CRVS initiative initially launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in November 2023 alongside the National Coordination Committee on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics.
Afolabi revealed that while Nigeria records about five million births annually, a significant percentage of citizens remain uncaptured in official records.
Birth Registration: Currently stands at approximately 57% nationwide.
Death Registration: Lags behind at under 20% nationwide.
“These statistics create critical gaps in legal identity documentation and national planning data,” Afolabi stated.
To expand coverage, the NPC has established 4,011 registration centres across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria, with plans to scale up to 8,000 centres.
Key Features of the VitalReg Platform
The VitalReg platform is designed to provide faster service delivery and integrate seamlessly with other national identity systems. Key features include:
* 24/7 online registration access and digital certificate issuance.
* Automated data validation to reduce paperwork and processing delays.
* A centralized database designed to link with other government digital identity platforms.
The NPC has partnered with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), UNICEF, and technical partner Barnksforte Technologies Limited to decentralize registration and expand access across rural communities.
