‘Population is our greatest asset’ — Tinubu launches digital birth, death registration system

President Bola Tinubu has launched the national geospatial data repository and the electronic civil registration and vital statistics system (e-CRVS).

Tinubu also inaugurated the national coordination committee of CRVS under the National Population Commission (NPC).

The e-CRVS is a platform that digitalises all civil documentation such as birth and stillbirth registration, birth attestation, adoption, marriage notification, divorce notification, migration and death.

The geospatial data repository contains information about the country’s geographical locations.

Speaking at the launch on Wednesday at the presidential villa, Tinubu said the system would improve the ability of the federal agencies to generate vital statistics on important population events and migration.

The president said the system would also enable the government to design well-tailored policies capable of meeting the needs of the Nigerian people.

Tinubu added that the country’s population remains the greatest asset in Nigeria’s development process.

The president said the NPC would be supported to conduct the national population census exercise.

Tinubu said conducting the census would give Nigeria a 100 per cent shot at achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) about real-time identity management and population data.

“It is hoped that the current drive to reposition this vital registration system, will provide the basis for 100% attainment of our year 2030 SDG targets in respect of real-time identity management and population data,” he said.

“For me at this time, the commission has made substantial progress in the quest to deliver the first digital population and housing census.

“It is my hope that the result of the census will provide the nation with much-needed data for development planning and the enthronement of good governance.

“I call on the commission to deploy its cutting-edge technology, especially the geospatial data that has been collected through the enumeration area, and demarcation in implementing the e-CRVS.

“The population remains the greatest asset of the nation in the development process.

“The commission will therefore be supported and the conduct of this next census.”

During the launch, the president presented a real-time generated birth certificate to an infant.

In April, former President Muhammadu Buhari postponed the 2023 national population census indefinitely.