Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State on Friday launched the electronic birth registration (e-Birth) exercise across the state.
He described the initiative as a historic milestone in the state’s efforts to ensure that every child is recognised, protected, and counted from birth.
Speaking at the formal launch in Katsina, Radda said the e-Birth registration marks a decisive step toward ensuring that no child in the state remains invisible legally, socially, or statistically.
“Birth registration is the first legal recognition of a child’s identity and the foundation for accessing education, healthcare, social protection, and civic participation,” he said.
“Without it, a child exists in the shadows, vulnerable to exploitation, exclusion, and deprivation.
“For too long, millions of Nigerian children have grown up without this fundamental recognition. This is not just a systemic failure but a moral deficit we must correct.”
The governor disclosed that birth certificates will soon become mandatory for accessing key government services such as education and healthcare.
“To parents, registering your child costs nothing but a few minutes of your time, yet it opens the door to a lifetime of rights and opportunities. We are building a state where governance begins at birth, and justice begins with identity,” Radda said.
(Business Day)
