The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC), has stepped up its commitment to accelerate the universal birth registration drive in Lagos State, targeting no fewer than 545,000 children under one year of age for registration.
The global agency made this known in Lagos at a one-day Multi-Sectoral Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Birth Registration held recently.
The forum brought together government officials, traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, civil society groups, school owners, the media, and development partners.
Speaking at the event, Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of UNICEF Lagos Field Office, underscored the importance of birth registration for every child, describing it as a mark of citizenship identity and the first line of protection.
According to her, without registration, children remain invisible and cannot access healthcare, education, or social services.
She commended Lagos State for making real progress in universal birth registration, revealing that the state has already achieved 94% registration of children below five years-the highest rate in the country.
This achievement, she said, reflects the commitment of the state and its partners, even though much ground (6%) still needs to be covered.
According to her, hard-to-reach communities, informal settlements, and low-income families still face barriers to registering children after birth, while the goal remains to leave no child behind.
Lafoucriere disclosed that the 545,000 newborns, which constitute the fresh target for Lagos State, represent its share out of the 3.69 million targeted across 15 states, the highest among them.
Referencing previous accomplishments, the UNICEF field chief said, ‘In September 2025, the NPC, with UNICEF’s support, began distributing over 16 million birth certificates nationwide, out of which Lagos received the highest allocation-more than six million certificates.’
She explained that the current focus is on registering children under one year, as previous national drives had covered millions under five, and the current effort is to capture only newborns.
Lafoucriere mentioned that she is particularly pleased that ‘all birth registration trainings in the state have been completed across the 20 LGAs, including health facility trainings, and registration supplies, including tablets, have also been distributed.
‘We believe this is totally achievable with the support and contributions of every stakeholder.
‘The Ministry of Health must integrate registration into immunisation, maternal health, and other support services, as I was explaining with the example of my home country, France.
‘Education authorities must ensure that birth certificates are required before school enrolment. This will greatly help to push and encourage parents to register their children at birth.’
The UNICEF field chief applauded sectoral leaders, particularly traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, for their continuous support towards the campaign, describing it as part of their civic responsibility.
She also urged the media to continue amplifying messages that resonate across Nigeria’s diverse communities, adding that civil society must hold everyone accountable.
‘This dialogue is about action. We will co-create a Lagos State birth registration plan to drive demand at the community level.
‘So, we need to think beyond individual mandates. Let’s go back to our people and tell them why they must register their newborns and also incorporate traditional birth attendant centres.’
In her remarks, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission (NPC), Lagos, reiterated the significance of birth registration, saying that data is what governments at all levels rely on to plan for children-whether in terms of schools, healthcare, or recreational facilities.
‘But when data are not available to do all these, it becomes a serious problem not only for the children but for the society at large,’ she noted. ‘That is why it is absolutely important for all of us, after this dialogue, to go back home and tell our people at different levels why everyone must register their newborns.’
Oladunjoye explained that accurate registration data help governments plan effectively for schools, healthcare facilities, and infrastructure.
‘If you know the number of children born in a place like Mushin, you can plan how many schools or health centres to build. That is why this is so important,’ she added.
She commended UNICEF, ALGON, and other partners for their continued collaboration, describing the campaign as a shared responsibility.