A total of 1,174,392 birth registrations have been recorded across the country between January and May 2023.
The figure is contained in an app called RapidSMS designed by the National Population Commission and obtained by our correspondent on Sunday.
RapidSMS functions as a data collection and reporting platform for online and offline birth registration.
According to the app, the birth registration of children under one was 362,798; children under five were 562,345; and children above five were 249,249.
A total of 580,820 female children were registered while 593,572 males were registered.
The app further revealed that the female children were registered in 2,573 centres while the males were registered in 3,936 centres across the country.
According to the app, 304,118 births were registered in January; 142,142 in February; 267,583 in March; 228,456 in April; and 232,093 in May.
The app revealed that Lagos State had the highest birth registration of 115,264, followed by Ogun with 82,296; and Bauchi, with 76,767 birth registrations.
Other states include; Plateau, 45,421; Zamfara, 6,687; Yobe, 13,109; Taraba, 25,643; Sokoto, 65,499; Rivers, 32,095; Oyo, 42,036; Niger, 15,352; Nasarawa, 9,545; Kwara, 53,730; Kebbi, 4,753; Katsina, 41,096; Imo, 14,983; Kano, 10,693; Kaduna, 17,641; Jigawa, 7,462; Gombe, 4,650; Enugu, 5,330; and Ebonyi, 27,004 births.
For Delta, it was 37,467 births; Cross-River, 12,732; Borno, 67,416; Benue, 38,009; Akwa-Ibom, 24,181; Adamawa, 33,796; Anambra, 36,898; Bayelsa, 9,440; Edo, 53,490; Ekiti, 22,048; Ondo, 25,568; Osun, 28,615; Federal Capital Territory, 26,768; Kogi, 25,522; and Abia, 26,058.
Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, the Director, Vital Registration, NPC, Matthew Sunday, noted that more sensitisation by the commission was ongoing to ensure that Nigerians register their children at birth.
Sunday said, “The app has been very effective and there has been updates from time to time.
“We have been on serious advocacy and sensitisation to let Nigerians know the importance of birth registration.’’
“UNICEF has been a great pillar of support in this advocacy. We are collaborating with primary health care agencies, National Youth Service Corps, and the National Orientation Agency to help us spread the message of birth registration.”
