The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has renewed its partnership with the Lagos State Government to fast-track universal birth registration, describing it as the first line of protection for every child.
The new drive aims to register 545,000 newborns this year, ensuring that every child in Lagos has legal identity and access to essential services.
At the Lagos State Multi-Sectoral Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Birth Registration, Chief of UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, commended the state for achieving 94 percent registration among children under five, one of the highest rates in Nigeria.
“Birth registration gives every child an identity and access to education, healthcare, and protection. Without it, they remain invisible,” Lafoucriere said.
She noted that UNICEF and the National Population Commission (NPC) have distributed over 16 million birth certificates nationwide, with Lagos receiving the largest share. The current focus, she said, is on registering children under one year.
NPC Federal Commissioner in Lagos, Olayinka Oladunjoye, urged community and faith leaders to mobilise families for registration, saying accurate data helps government plan schools, hospitals, and infrastructure.
UNICEF is extending similar efforts to 15 priority states, targeting the registration of 3.69 million children under one year nationwide in 2025.
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