The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s ongoing reforms in Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), stressing the importance of digital identity and data integration for effective governance and national development.
Speaking during the inaugural meeting of the National CRVS Coordination Committee in Abuja, Inuwa emphasized that digital transformation is key to streamlining public service delivery and ensuring inclusive planning at all levels of government.
He noted that accurate civil registration data, covering births, deaths, and other vital events, is essential for evidence-based policymaking. “Without comprehensive and harmonized data, we cannot make informed decisions or plan adequately for the future,” he said.
Inuwa called for stronger collaboration among key institutions such as the National Population Commission (NPC), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), adding that NITDA is ready to provide digital standards, advisory support, and technological frameworks to make the CRVS system more efficient and user-friendly.
“Technology enables us to connect people from birth through to all stages of life. By digitizing these processes, we can ensure that no one is left behind in national planning and service delivery,” he said.
He also stressed the need to move away from manual and paper-based systems, saying citizens now expect services to be seamless, secure, and digital. “Filling forms and going from office to office should be a thing of the past. We must adopt digital processes that save time and improve access.”
Inuwa assured stakeholders that NITDA would serve as a key driver of digital transformation across the CRVS ecosystem, helping agencies deliver integrated services that benefit all Nigerians.
The meeting brought together top government officials including the Chairman of the NPC, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra; DG of NIMC, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote; Statistician General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran; Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Identity and National Population, Senator Victor Umeh; and ALGON President, Engr. Bello Lawal.
