To ensure no child is disenfranchised, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) is working with partners to close the identity gap, starting from birth, writes EMMANUEL BADEJO
In a country where millions of children are born without any official record of their existence, the simple act of registering a birth becomes an act of nation-building. Legal identity is not merely a bureaucratic formality but a gateway to health, education, protection, and participation in civic life.
In recent months, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC) and UNICEF, has intensified efforts to bridge the identity gap through a nationwide birth registration drive targeting children aged 0 to 5 years.
Without a birth certificate, a child is more likely to be excluded from essential services. In Nigeria, where an estimated 57% of children under five remain unregistered, the consequences are far-reaching. Lack of legal identity impedes access to immunisations, schooling, and social protections. It also leaves children vulnerable to trafficking, forced labour, early marriage, and statelessness.
“We must go back and create a national value system that will define who we are as Nigerians,” said NOA Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu. He stated that a key part of that national value system is ensuring every Nigerian child is seen and counted. Through birth registration, the state recognises a child and affirms their rights and future.
The joint birth registration drive was officially launched in Ibadan, Oyo State, in August 2024, with a mission to register over 12 million children across the country. Through mobile outreach teams, digital tools, and grassroots mobilisation, the initiative seeks to reach underserved and rural communities where formal registration systems are weakest.
In these communities, NOA’s Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers (COMOs) are leading the charge. Known for their grassroots engagement, COMOs serve as the first point of contact for families, educating parents on the importance of registration and guiding them through the process. Their presence has helped to overcome mistrust of government institutions and cultural barriers that have historically hindered registration.
However, progress has not been without obstacles.
Logistics, poor road networks, and digital infrastructure gaps in remote areas continue to delay mobile registration efforts. In some communities, parents lack the documentation needed to complete the process, or simply cannot afford the transport costs to registration points. According to UNICEF, over 50% of children under five in Nigeria remain unregistered, despite registration being free and legally required.
As the Federal Government moves towards integrating birth certificates with the National Identification Number (NIN), there is growing debate about the balance between innovation and inclusion. Linking identity from birth to NIN could streamline access to healthcare, education, and social welfare. But it also introduces new barriers for vulnerable families.
For many low-income or illiterate parents, navigating the technical requirements of NIN registration is daunting. Moreover, internet connectivity and power supply challenges in rural communities often hinder digital data capture. While the NIN linkage aims to create a unified identity system, it must not come at the cost of excluding the very children it seeks to protect.
Mobile registration teams have, however, dramatically improved access. Mothers in Osun and Kano states have reported receiving their children’s birth certificates for the first time thanks to community outreach and health centre collaborations.
Yet in others, bureaucratic delays and misinformation persist. In Bauchi State, for instance, a father recounted being told to return multiple times due to system outages and missing forms. For families already struggling with poverty and distance, these hurdles can be discouraging.
NOA acknowledges these challenges but remains optimistic.
“We are using every platform available, radio, town halls, community visits, to ensure that no child is left behind,” said an NOA official during a stakeholder briefing in April.
One of the campaign’s key insights is the glaring gap between vaccination rates and birth registration figures. Nigeria has made significant strides in immunisation coverage, particularly for measles, tuberculosis, and polio. Yet millions of vaccinated children remain undocumented.
To bridge this gap, NOA is championing the use of immunisation cards as entry points for birth registration. In collaboration with the Ondo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (OSPHDA), NOA has rolled out mass vaccination campaigns, timed to coincide with mobile birth registration drives.
At a recent meeting in Akure, Ondo State NOA Director James Adekunle underscored the agency’s readiness to support the campaign, requesting IEC (Information, Education, Communication) materials to enhance sensitisation efforts. “We have recorded significant strides in maternal and child health services and will continue to work with health partners to ensure these services reach every household,” he stated.
The synergy between vaccination and registration not only improves coverage but also reduces redundancies in data collection. By treating the immunisation card as a functional identity tool, the government can increase registration uptake while streamlining service delivery.
The birth registration drive is not occurring in isolation. It forms part of a broader strategy by NOA to promote health awareness, child protection, and national cohesion. In recent months, the agency has signed a strategic partnership with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) to expand HIV awareness, reduce mother-to-child transmission, and tackle stigma against persons living with HIV.
This multi-sectoral approach reflects a recognition that children’s wellbeing is holistic. Health, identity, and inclusion are intertwined. A child without identity is less likely to receive vaccinations, attend school, or benefit from welfare programmes. As such, legal identity must be treated not just as a document but as a development imperative.
Despite commendable progress, systemic fragmentation remains a concern. Multiple agencies operate parallel programmes with overlapping goals. Parents must often visit separate locations for birth registration, vaccinations, and school enrolment, wasting time and resources. Experts have called for the creation of integrated one-stop centres where children can receive vaccines and birth certificates in a single visit.
As Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu stated, defining who we are as Nigerians must begin at birth. And that definition is incomplete unless it includes the millions of children currently left off the grid. It is time to ensure that every Nigerian child has a name, a number, and a nation that sees them.
If Nigeria is to fulfil the rights of every child, its identity systems must be inclusive, accessible, and harmonised. The collaboration between NOA, NPC, UNICEF, and other partners offers a promising model. By investing in community mobilisation, digital tools, and inter-agency collaboration, the country can move closer to a future where every child is counted and protected.
