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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
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has commissioned a Quick Response Squad of the Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, alongside operational equipment worth hundreds of millions of naira, as part of efforts to intensify the fight against drug abuse, thuggery and illicit trafficking.
KANO FOCUS reports that the commissioning took place on Thursday, marking another step in the state government’s efforts to tackle substance abuse through enforcement, rapid response, rehabilitation, skills acquisition and reintegration of affected persons into society.
Speaking at the ceremony, Gov Yusuf expressed satisfaction with what he described as progress recorded in the fight against drug abuse across the state.
“I am the happiest man in Kano today as we continue to push drug abuse down to the barest minimum,” he said.
The governor said the newly established squad would strengthen the operational capacity of the task force by enabling it to respond promptly to reports, drug-related incidents and emerging threats associated with illicit trafficking.
He explained that the provision of operational equipment was part of his administration’s commitment to equipping relevant agencies with the necessary tools to address the drug menace.
Gov Yusuf, however, stressed that the campaign should go beyond arrest and prosecution, noting that rehabilitated persons must be given opportunities to acquire skills and engage in legitimate economic activities.
He said the government would sustain skills acquisition and apprenticeship programmes to keep rehabilitated persons meaningfully engaged and reduce the risk of relapse into drug use and other criminal activities.
The governor commended the chairman and members of the task force for their dedication and commitment, saying the achievements recorded within a relatively short period demonstrated the importance of collaboration among government agencies and other stakeholders.
Accompanied by the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Jibril Ismaila Falgore, and other senior government officials, Gov Yusuf inspected the newly commissioned facility and the equipment procured for the task force.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Barr Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado, said the Quick Response Squad and the newly acquired equipment would enhance the agency’s capacity to respond effectively to drug-related challenges.
He reaffirmed the task force’s commitment to sustaining its operations against substance abuse and illicit trafficking, assuring the governor that it would not relent in carrying out its mandate.
Barr Rimin Gado expressed appreciation to the governor for providing political and operational support, which he said had strengthened the task force’s activities.
He noted that tackling drug abuse required collective responsibility, involving government institutions, security and regulatory agencies, traditional and religious leaders, parents, communities and educational institutions.
The chairman pledged that the task force would sustain its preventive, enforcement, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes while strengthening collaboration with relevant stakeholders to reduce substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the state.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Nafisah Yusuf Hassan, a magistrate in Kano State, has been recommended for appointment as a judge of the Kano State High Court by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Hassan is among four judicial officers from Kano State recommended for elevation to the High Court bench out of 28 candidates selected nationwide.
The other nominees are Halima Yahuza Ahmad, Abdullahi Abdulsalam Bature and Musa Ibrahim Umar.
The NJC disclosed the recommendations in a statement issued by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, following its consideration of candidates for judicial appointments across the country.
The council said all recommended candidates were expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
Hassan’s recommendation follows her years of service in the Kano State judiciary, where she has reportedly distinguished herself through diligence, professionalism and careful handling of cases.
She has been commended for her commitment to judicial ethics, diligence and fairness in the discharge of her responsibilities, achievements that contributed to her career progression within the judiciary.
Her elevation is part of a broader development in the Kano State judiciary, with four magistrates from the state successfully scaling the selection process for appointment to the High Court.
The four nominees were reportedly assessed during the selection exercise and demonstrated strong professional competence, while their service records were found to be free of adverse remarks.
Their recommendation marks a significant step in their judicial careers and is expected to strengthen the judicial workforce in Kano State upon their formal appointment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) says it has tracked nearly 1,000 education projects across the state as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and effective service delivery in the education sector.
KANO FOCUS the coalition’s Co-Chair, Dr Auwalu Halilu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an advocacy visit to the Kano State Ministry of Public Procurement and Project Monitoring.
Dr Halilu said K-SAFE had monitored projects in more than six local government areas, covering interventions implemented by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano State Senior Secondary Education Management Board and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).
He explained that the monitoring exercise involved physical inspections and documentation of projects through photographs, videos and geographical locations.
According to him, reports of the findings had been submitted to relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), highlighting projects that met required standards and those requiring further attention.
He cited Rimin Gado Local Government Area, where the coalition tracked more than 80 education projects, adding that it planned to extend the exercise to all 44 local government areas of the state.
The K-SAFE Co-Chair said the visit was aimed at presenting the coalition’s activities to the ministry and exploring areas of collaboration in procurement and project monitoring.
He called for the inclusion of civil society organisations in procurement and monitoring processes, particularly tender board activities and field inspections, to strengthen independent oversight and provide them with firsthand information on government projects.
Dr Halilu also requested the ministry’s support in organising capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations on procurement procedures, due process, project standardisation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said such training would enhance civil society organisations’ understanding of procurement regulations and the technical requirements guiding project implementation.
Responding, the Commissioner for Public Procurement and Project Monitoring, Dr Nura Iro Ma’aji, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the coalition’s contributions to supporting the state government’s efforts in the education sector.
He expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with K-SAFE through information sharing and other relevant engagements to strengthen accountability and ensure compliance with due process.
“From our side, we are ready to work together because we know what they have been doing to support Kano State Government in the education sector,” he said.
Dr Halilu further disclosed that the coalition and its partner organisations had carried out the monitoring exercise without financial sponsorship, describing it as a demonstration of their commitment to transparency and accountability.
He reaffirmed K-SAFE’s commitment to sustaining engagement with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and the media to strengthen oversight of education projects across Kano State.
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