Women Affairs Ministry, NPC Deepen Collaboration on Birth Registration, Gender Data

By Iyojo Ameh

The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has pledged to strengthen collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC) to boost birth registration coverage and develop a comprehensive gender-responsive database for national planning.

The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, disclosed this on February 23, 2026, when she received a delegation from the Commission led by its Chairman, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, during a courtesy visit to her office in Abuja.

Suleiman-Ibrahim said the ministry is prepared to partner with the Commission, particularly in mobilising communities and sensitising women to actively participate in NPC programmes.

She noted that such collaboration would support ongoing Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) processes as well as preparations for the forthcoming Population and Housing Census.

The Minister underscored the importance of credible population data in addressing societal challenges affecting women and children, stressing that reliable statistics provide a solid foundation for targeted policy interventions.

“These are the kind of issues we want to address together, ensuring that children are properly registered, whether at community level or in hospitals, and that we have the opportunity to study and understand our population dynamics,” she said.

She reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to inclusive national development through dependable data systems that prioritise gender equity, child protection, and family empowerment in decision-making processes.

Earlier, NPC Chairman, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to working closely with the Ministry to advance gender-responsive policies, expand birth registration, and improve access to accurate population data to drive national development.

He commended the Ministry for its role in promoting the welfare, protection, and empowerment of women, children, and families nationwide.

As the statutory custodian of population statistics and CRVS, Yusuf stated that the Commission remains focused on producing reliable and timely data to support evidence-based policymaking, equitable service delivery, and inclusive planning.

He identified the strengthening of birth registration, particularly for the girl child, as a priority area of cooperation, noting that birth registration guarantees a legal identity and serves as the gateway to education, healthcare, and social protection services.

The NPC Chairman also applauded the Ministry’s leadership in preparations for the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), where both institutions are expected to contribute to deliberations on advancing the rights of the girl child and women of reproductive age.