The director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to spearheading digital identity and data integration as foundational pillars for national planning, inclusive governance and the successful reform of Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system.
Speaking during the inaugural meeting of the National Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Coordination Committee, held in Abuja, the NITDA boss said the agency would work closely with key institutions such as the National Population Commission (NPC), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to ensure that the country’s CRVS processes are digitised, harmonised and aligned with global best practices.
Abdullahi noted that the reform agenda is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, which places strong emphasis on digital public infrastructure, efficient service delivery and data-driven policymaking. He described CRVS as a critical tool for evidence-based governance, stressing that no meaningful development can occur without reliable and comprehensive population data.
“The importance of civil registration and vital statistics cannot be overemphasised,” he said. “CRVS provides the evidence governments need to plan, budget and implement policies that impact citizens. From birth to death, every vital event must be recorded and linked to the national planning ecosystem.”
He pointed out that fragmented and siloed data systems continue to hinder the country’s ability to make timely, informed decisions, adding that integrated, technology-enabled platforms are the only way forward. According to him, harmonised data from birth registrations, death certificates and other vital records can be linked to broader national databases to support development priorities and public service delivery.
“Without harmonising our data, we cannot generate the insight we need for national development,” Inuwa said. “Technology can help us stitch all the systems together, making the process more inclusive, efficient and citizen-friendly.”
He assured stakeholders that NITDA would provide the digital standards, frameworks and advisory services required to guide CRVS digitisation across institutions. As the national IT regulatory body, he said, NITDA’s role would be to support agencies in deploying secure and interoperable platforms for integrated service delivery.
“At NITDA, we see ourselves as enablers of the digital transformation journey. Our role is to support this committee with the right technology tools and policy advice that will ensure seamless coordination and implementation of the CRVS reform,” he said. “Digital is now a lifestyle. Citizens expect efficient, secure and paperless processes. That’s the future we must build.”
He further pledged that NITDA would work closely with the NPC, NIMC, NBS and all other stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s CRVS platform becomes a central pillar of governance, enabling every Nigerian to be counted, documented and served.
Among other dignitaries present at the event were the chairman of the Senate Committee on National Identity and National Population, Senator Victor Umeh; Chairman of the National Population Commission, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra; Statistician-General of the Federation of the NBS, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran; Director-general of NIMC, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote and president of ALGON, Engr. Bello Lawal alongside several government officials and policy experts.
