Birth Registration Drive Gains Traction In Kano’s Underserved Communities

A community-based birth registration outreach in Yamadawa, Dorayi Babba, and Dorayi Karama in the Dorayi area of Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State has recorded increased participation, with parents and caregivers turning out in large numbers to register children under one year old. The exercise is part of efforts to close Nigeria’s birth registration gap.

The outreach is under the “Accelerating Birth Registration and Leave No Child Behind in Nigeria 2026” programme implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) in collaboration with the National Population Commission(NPC), National Identity Management Commission and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria(ALGON), with funding support from the Government of the Netherlands.

The initiative targets children aged 0 to 12 months, using Nigeria’s electronic birth registration (eBR) system to enable real-time registration and the instant issuance of birth certificates at the community level.

Beneficiaries described the exercise as timely and impactful. A resident, Maryam Murtala, said she was able to register her eight-month-old child after missing the opportunity at birth.

She said the process was seamless and free, noting that birth certificates are essential for school enrolment and access to many other services.

Similarly, Sumaila Lawan Bello, who travelled from Ungwan Lemo, urged other parents to take advantage of the exercise. At the same time, Fatima Mohammad said the outreach enabled her to register a child born at home.

Head of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics at the NPC Kano office, Hajiya Fatima Mohammed Bashir, said the project promotes early registration, noting that many parents delay until their children reach school age. She added that the e-registration system has improved service delivery with instant issuance of certificates.

ALGON focal person in Gwale, Habibu Babale, disclosed that over 700 children had been registered since the campaign began in April, attributing the success to community mobilisation by traditional leaders.

Village Head of Yamadawa A, Dorayi Babba, and Alhaji Ahmed Badamasi commended the initiative for bringing services closer to the people. At the same time, Deputy Chief Registrar of NPC in Gwale, Ali Nuhu, described it as a targeted intervention for vulnerable children, calling for longer outreach periods to cover more communities.

He, however, stressed that birth registration remains a fundamental right and a gateway to education, healthcare and social protection, urging parents to ensure their children are registered.