Three newborns received digital birth certificates and National Identification Numbers (NINs) as the National Population Commission (NPC) marked the 2026 Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day in Abuja.
The certificates were issued during the commission’s digital birth registration exercise at Wuse General Hospital on Tuesday.
NPC Chairman, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, inspected the registration process at the commission’s centre within the hospital, where he personally presented certificates to the babies as part of activities marking the continental CRVS Day.
The beneficiaries were two-month-old Chimamanda Eliora Mela, eleven-week-old Tayyib Shaheed and one-day-old Peter Vishekwo, a twin.
Yusuf was accompanied by the Federal Commissioner for Plateau State and overseeing Commissioner for the Federal Capital Territory, Mary Ishaya Afan; NPC Director-General, Dr. Abuh Mohammed; UNICEF Chief of Child Protection, Natalie McCauley; and other senior officials.
The delegation also included the Acting Medical Director of Wuse General Hospital, Dr. Hannatu Ovosi, who joined the officials in monitoring the live digital registration and issuance of birth certificates.
Speaking during the exercise, Yusuf congratulated the parents and said the digital certificates, alongside the generation of NINs, would provide the children with legal identity and facilitate access to services such as healthcare and education.
He urged parents to register their children’s births promptly, stressing the importance of documentation in protecting their rights and opening access to future opportunities.
“The commemoration of Africa CRVS Day underscores the vital role of accurate civil registration data in national planning and development,” Yusuf said. “Without reliable data, effective policymaking becomes impossible.”
He also presented gifts to the registered babies and thanked Wuse General Hospital for hosting the commemorative exercise.
Afan praised Yusuf’s leadership, saying the civil registration and vital statistics system had become fully digital since his assumption of office.
Ovosi welcomed the NPC delegation and expressed appreciation to the commission for choosing the hospital for the exercise.
The NPC Director-General, Abuh Mohammed, also praised the chairman and presented additional gifts to the newborns.
McCauley said birth registration remained an important component of child protection, noting that registered children become more visible to systems established to safeguard their rights.
“Every registered birth strengthens child protection. Every registered child becomes more visible to the systems designed to serve and protect them. And every child who is counted is one step closer to realizing their full rights and potential,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the mothers, Gloria Kabari Mela thanked Yusuf and his team for the gifts and for selecting their children for the live registration exercise.
The event was attended by the FCT Territory Director, management staff and technical aides to the NPC chairman.