Millions of Nigerian Children Face Access Gaps Without Birth Registration, UNICEF Warns
Millions of children in Nigeria could face difficulties accessing essential public services and social protection because they lack official birth registration, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned.
The warning was issued during a two-day media engagement organised by the National Population Commission (NPC) in partnership with UNICEF to promote the registration of children, particularly those under one year. UNICEF officials said the absence of legal identity can affect a child’s access to education, healthcare and social welfare, while creating challenges later in life with civic and legal rights.
UNICEF also linked birth registration to effective government planning, noting that unregistered children are often missing from official population records. The organisation said accurate data would enable authorities to better determine the number of children requiring public services and allocate resources for areas such as healthcare, education and social protection.
The organisation called for wider public awareness, digital registration systems and stronger cooperation between the NPC, healthcare facilities and communities to close existing gaps. UNICEF officials also urged journalists to intensify reporting on the issue and help families, especially those in underserved communities, understand where and how they can register their children.
