Headlines
Low awareness, platform charges slow E-birth registration drive in Kano
Zulaiha Danjuma
The National Population Commission (NPC) E-birth registration service was launched to allow Nigerians to register children at birth and receive a birth certificate online.
KANO FOCUS reports, with the support of UNICEF, this digital platform aims to provide a secure and accessible digital identity for every Nigerian child.
This is to enhance service delivery and establish a centralized identity data hub, accessible to healthcare, financial, and security agencies nationwide.
Since November 2024, over 933,859 digital birth registration have been recorded in Kano state, according to Alhaji Ismaila Al-Hassan Dogo, State Director of the NPC.
According to UNICEF, the digital birth registration platform has revolutionized the traditional registration process, doing away with tedious paper-based applications. This innovative platform has streamlined birth registration, eliminating double entries and ensuring a seamless, integrated experience.
The platform targets capturing all unregistered children in the 44 local government areas of Kano state and integrating them into the state’s database, NPC State Director, Al-Hassan Dogo said.
According to UNICEF, the new e-birth registration system would automatically generate and secure a National Identity Number (NIN) for every child registered.
UNICEF also said, registering children on the e-birth platform paves the way for a smoother future. With a digital birth certificate, kids can breeze through school enrollment, visa applications, and even international passport requests – setting them up for success from the very start.
So far, the NPC has said that Kano state has the highest number of e-birth registration in the entire country
But a recent visit to the Muhammadu Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital in Kano revealed a concerning lack of awareness about the National Population Commission’s (NPC) free E-birth registration for newborns among some new mothers.
Low Awareness about e-birth Platform
Many new mothers remain unaware of the e-birth platform and the services available to them.
Fatima Awwal Habib, a mother of four, expressed her surprise at learning about the service. “I have never heard of any such E-birth registration process for birth certificates,” she said.
Another mother, Safiya Ahmad, also confessed to being unaware of the digitalized birth registration process. “I am not aware of such,” she said, adding that the only birth certificate she had for her children was the one issued by the hospital.
New mothers Zainab Sale and Hafsat Isa were also surprised to learn about the free E-birth registration service. Ms. Zainab, who had just given birth to her son a week ago, said, “I am hearing this from you now, I don’t know if any birth certificate is supposed to be given to my son at the hospital, let alone me registering him for a national one through an online platform.”
Ms. Hafsat, while breastfeeding her few days old child, said, “I kept quiet earlier because this is very new information to me, I had never heard of a national free E-birth registration before today.”
But low digital literacy levels among many new mothers also poses a significant challenge to the e-birth service’s usability.
“A lot of people are not tech-savvy to use a website that requires a payment,” Bello Sani, a renowned Software Engineer and tech industry expert, who founded Tenet Technology, explained.
“Most people can go to a site to fill out forms and submit, but payment systems are still a struggle for a large number of the population. Many have to go to an internet center to be able to successfully access such service.”
This lack of awareness and limited literacy levels threaten to undermine the effectiveness of the NPC’s E-birth registration initiative. As Bello Sani noted, “This in itself will exclude people in rural areas completely, because issues of social and financial inclusion are still a problem.”
Processing fees
Accessing the digital platform and it’s services is supposed to be free for children under five years of age. But parents are required to enter a payment reference number when initiating the registration process.
The NPC’s public statement says registration is supposed to be free for children under five and costs N2,000 for those above five, the platform’s user interface tells a different story.
A closer examination of the e-birth portal reveals that a fee of ₦2,030 is actually charged for registering any child, regardless of age.
This glaring inconsistency raises questions whether the E-birth registration is truly free for Nigerian children under 5.
This is particularly concerning, as Nigerians who need this service the most, are those financially vulnerable and unable often to afford the fee.
“When the public have an impression that a government service is going to be free but it turns out to have a hidden charge it makes the public lose trust in the entire system” Bello said.
“This is a financial exclusion tactic in a way because the website is public and not a business website, which usually has its target audience, this is a government website.
The added charge makes it that people who can’t afford the service fee would not be able to use the service, hence are excluded” he added
As the NPC’s e-birth registration initiative holds great promise for Nigeria’s future, it’s imperative that the commission prioritizes widespread awareness and reviews the payment clause to ensure inclusivity. Collaboration with stakeholders is crucial to address these challenges and unlock the full potential of this game-changing initiative.
This story is produced under the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Fellowship of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Co-Develop in partnership with Kano Focus online Newspaper.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Ace broadcaster, Hajiya Lami Hafsat Maccido, widely regarded as the first indigenous announcer on Radio Kano and the first person to appear on the screens of NTA Kano and CTV 67 at their formative stages, has died at the age of 72.
KANO FOCUS reports that Maccido passed away on Tuesday night after a brief illness, according to an announcement circulated on WhatsApp platform by Engr. Abubakar Garba Maccido.
Born on August 12, 1954, Maccido hailed from a diverse heritage. She was born in Jos, Plateau State, to a Shuwa Arab father from Borno State and a Fulani mother from Katsina State.
She attended Township Primary School and St. Louis Secondary School, both in Jos, before proceeding to ABC/ABU Kano for her tertiary education.
Maccido began her working career as a cashier at Sheshe Departmental Stores in Kano before joining Radio Kano in 1974, where she worked until 1976. She later moved to Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Kano—then known as NTV Kano—where she served from 1976 to 1981.
She subsequently transferred her service to CTV 67 as a pioneer staff member. She retired in 2012 after 35 years of dedicated service in the broadcast industry.
Maccido, alongside her former colleagues Dr. Faruk Umar Usman, Alhaji Ishaq Hadeijia, and Alhaji Wada Abdullahi Kachako, played a key role in naming CTV 67 (Community Television) when the station was first established by the then Governor of Kano State, Abubakar Rimi.
Her death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from journalists, former colleagues, and admirers, many of whom described her as a trailblazer, a consummate professional, and a symbol of excellence in broadcasting.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of Janet Theophilus Danjuma to five years’ imprisonment for investment fraud amounting to N22,350,000.
KANO FOCUS reports that Danjuma was convicted on Monday, February 16, 2026, by Justice S. M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court>, sitting in Kano, on a one-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence.
According to the charge, the defendant, a staff member of TAJBank Limited, Nai’bawa Branch, Kano, fraudulently obtained the sum of N22,350,000 from one Wade Bamaiyi in October 2024 under the guise of investing the funds in the bank’s CASA (Current Account Savings Account) programme.
The charge stated that the defendant knew the claim to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Upon arraignment, Danjuma pleaded guilty to the charge.
Following her plea, the prosecution counsel, Sadiq Huseini, reviewed the facts of the case, explaining how the defendant exploited the name of a legitimate financial product to deceive the victim into parting with the money. He urged the court to convict and sentence her in accordance with the law.
Justice Shuaibu subsequently convicted and sentenced Danjuma to five years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine.
Investigations by the EFCC revealed that the defendant diverted the entire sum into her personal account after falsely claiming she would invest the funds in the bank’s CASA programme. She was thereafter charged to court and convicted.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting harmonious labour relations, pledging continued engagement with labour leaders through dialogue and diplomacy to enhance socio-economic development and productivity.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Tajo Othman, made the pledge during a two-day seminar titled “Effective Collective Bargaining and Negotiation Between Labour Leaders and Employers at the Local Government Level.” The workshop was held at Royal Blue Hotels in Kaduna.
Represented by the Director of Recruitment, Training and Retirement in the ministry, Alhaji Ali S. Faragai, the commissioner said the training formed part of the state government’s broader efforts to strengthen labour relations and promote industrial peace across Kano.
He emphasised that effective collective bargaining and negotiation are critical tools for resolving labour disputes and fostering mutual understanding between employers and employees at the grassroots level.
According to him, the seminar was organised by the ministry in collaboration with Beatific Synergy and Ventures Limited as part of the present administration’s commitment to continuous capacity building for workers in the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government Matters, Alhaji Garba Umar Durbunde, commended the government’s resolve to build harmonious working relationships and urged participants to apply the knowledge gained for the overall progress of the state.
In his welcome address, the Kano State President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Ibrahim Muhammed, described the training as timely and essential in equipping union leaders with the skills required to navigate the complexities of labour relations and ensure peaceful dispute resolution.
Similarly, the National President of NULGE, Comrade Aliyu Haruna Kankara, lauded the Kano State Governor for what he described as visionary leadership and dedication to labour welfare. He noted that the initiative would significantly enhance the capacity of NULGE leaders to effectively represent their members and promote industrial harmony.
“The governor’s initiative is a game-changer, and we appreciate his commitment to improving the capacity of local government personnel through regular training and retraining,” he said.
In a presentation, veteran labour leader and District Head of Rimin Gado, Dr. Auwalu Mudi Yakasai, stressed that honesty, humanity and humility remain essential virtues for achieving lasting success in labour matters.
The training brought together NULGE leaders and local government officials from all 44 local government areas of the state. It covered key topics including collective bargaining strategies, negotiation skills and conflict resolution mechanisms.
Observers say the initiative is expected to improve labour relations, enhance productivity and contribute meaningfully to Kano State’s socio-economic development.
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