Inside Nigeria’s digital birth registration system: Broken portals, unexpected fees, and systemic delays

A Lagos-based lawyer faced a challenging situation while trying to obtain a birth certificate for his child. His experience turned into a multi-day ordeal filled with touts, malfunctioning online portals, 14 failed photo attempts, two payments for documents he had never lost, and a system that deemed his valid 1996 birth certificate unreadable.

This issue arose not because the certificate was invalid, but because it predated the current digital platform.

Ogundipe, Esq. shared his experience on X in a thread that drew significant attention from Nigerians who recognised the frustrations he described. His ordeal began even before he entered the National Population Commission (NPC) office. As he parked outside, a man approached him and quoted a fee of ₦25,000, suggesting that he could pay more if desired. A quick search on his phone revealed that birth certificates in Nigeria are supposed to be free, so he refused to pay.

He then called the NPC’s listed phone number. While on hold, a recorded message warned him not to pay anyone for a birth certificate. When an agent eventually answered, she directed him to the online application process.

So far, things seemed manageable. However, complications arose when he learned he needed to obtain a National Identification Number for his child before proceeding. This requirement meant making a physical visit to an enrollment centre. After completing that step, he returned to the online portal, only to be prompted to pay just over ₦5,000 to continue. Despite the earlier confusion about the free service, he paid, reasoning that at least the money would go to the government, and he would receive a receipt.

Next, the portal asked him to enter the certificate number from his own birth certificate. Unfortunately, the certificate he received in 1996 did not fit into the modern system, which could not recognise the number. After some investigation, he uncovered the issue: his certificate was from the analogue era, and the new system did not accommodate it. He realised he needed to apply for a reissuance before he could proceed with obtaining his child’s certificate.

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This reissuance, needed for a document he had never lost or damaged, one that had been valid for nearly three decades, cost an additional ₦3,000.

Technext found that issues with the National Population Commission’s (NPC) digital birth-registration system go beyond just the reissuance fee. Applicants must complete several steps to obtain a birth certificate.

For new registrations, the child needs a National Identification Number (NIN), and at least one parent must be Nigerian with a valid birth certificate. This service costs ₦5,000, but registration for children under five is free at NPC centers.

Birth Registration on the portal (Technext)

For older certificates, applicants with physical certificates issued before November 8, 2023, must apply for a reissuance. This also requires a NIN and an upload of the old certificate. If they need an attestation reissuance, a court affidavit is needed as well, with a fee of ₦3,000 for this service. All payments are non-refundable.

The process has some strict rules. Once a certificate is issued, it can only be downloaded once. If another copy is needed, applicants must use the reprint service. Important details, like payment references, are sent via email, so applicants must keep track of this information.

Additionally, the portal requires applicants to consent to the processing of their personal information by the NPC and its partners. This data may be used for civil registration and other NPC services. Links to privacy policies covering data usage and protection are also provided.

Fourteen attempts to take a photograph the government would accept

What happened next was, by Ogundipe’s account, the most absurd part of the entire process. The system required him to take a live photograph for verification, and it turned into quite the ordeal. After more than forty minutes and countless attempts, he finally managed to get one accepted. Ironically, what the system approved was his “tired and frustrated face,” a perfect reflection of the struggle he endured.

But the challenges didn’t end there. Just a few screens later, it asked him to take yet another live photo. This time, it took him fourteen tries to get one accepted finally. Keep in mind, Ogundipe has been in Nigeria’s biometric database for over a decade, meaning his photo already exists somewhere within a government system.

This repetitive and time-consuming requirement felt completely unnecessary to him, more a symptom of poorly integrated systems than an actual security measure.

Once he survived the photography saga, he was asked to fill in detailed information about his parents. He described that moment as feeling like a child without a birth certificate, rather than a parent trying to secure one for their child.

Certificate Reissuance (Technext)

When he finally completed everything, he received a message stating his reissuance request was in the queue. There were too many requests waiting to be processed, so he would have to wait.

At the time of writing, he had still not been able to complete his child’s birth certificate application. He can’t move forward until his own reissuance arrives, a request he never intended to make for a document that was perfectly valid before he tried to use it.

The analogue era was not this complicated

Ogundipe’s situation highlights an important question: Is the analogue system supposed to be easier than the digital one? He has a birth certificate from 1996 that was accepted for over 30 years without any issues. It didn’t require a live photo, long waits, or any fees. Yet, the new digital system, intended to simplify the process, has made it more complicated.

This isn’t just about one man’s frustration. Birth certificates are crucial for everyday activities like enrolling in school, applying for passports, getting married, and accessing various government services. When people face hurdles in obtaining these documents, it can cut them off from essential services.

There’s also an unsettling irony: while the government warns citizens not to pay for birth certificates, their own online system demands fees partway through the process. This creates a trust issue. When the government sends mixed messages, people naturally become sceptical and more likely to believe unofficial sources.

Ogundipe, a lawyer, knew his rights and how to gather information, yet he still struggled with a process that should have taken only an hour. For countless Nigerians lacking that knowledge or patience, the system isn’t just frustrating; it actively excludes them.

The experience raises questions about whether the NPC’s digital transformation is actually making birth registration more accessible. If the system is to deliver on that promise, it needs to be easier to navigate, transparent about fees and better integrated with existing government databases.

See also: How to register, check details, get your PVC on the INEC portal