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Tinubu Launches E-CRVS, National Geospatial Data Repository on Wednesday

Published

3 years ago

November 6, 2023

Joel Ajayi

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR will on Wednesday 8th, 2023 launch the electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (e-CRVS) Committee over a period of ten years, from 2023 to 2030 in a bid to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal inside the Aso Villa.

Speaking In A World Press Conference on Monday In Abuja Chairman of the National Population Commission Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra at the pre-event press briefing on the presidential launch of the electronic civil registration and vital statistics system and geospatial data repository.

According to him, as part of Nigeria’s way of complying with the resolutions of the African Ministers and scaling up the automated process in Nigeria, the National Population Commission in collaboration with UNICEF developed the eCRVS Operational Readiness Assessment Report showing the potential of digital technologies in providing transformative outcomes in CRVS and integrating data from multiple systems to securely store data at scale, in a cost-effective way in Nigeria.

“The report provided the holistic approach to the future state vision for digitized CRVS, the rollout of a decentralized digital birth registration system as part of CRVS, and identified areas to strengthen the automation of the system. Recommendations that will significantly increase the likelihood of reaching a universal digitalized birth registration system in Nigeria were made.

“The report ushered in the bold step taken by the Commission for a transformative innovation of the CRVS (Vital Reg) system by developing a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement between the Commission and Barnksforte Technologies Limited, a reputable, and innovative indigenous ICT solution provider with a track record of success in ICT solution provision with government agencies. The PPP arrangement is to promote the Vital Reg System as a completely electronic system that digitalizes all civil registrations such as birth registration, stillbirth registration, birth attestation, adoption, marriage notification, divorce notification, migration, and death.

“This Repository database will also be launched by Mr. President for the use of the public and private sector in Nigeria.

“As part of the event, the CRVS National Coordination Committee will also be inaugurated by Mr. President. This is to establish a high-level coordination mechanism involving all relevant stakeholders for the efficient functioning of the digital CRVS system and to support appropriate institutional and human infrastructure and operational procedures to capture vital statistics of diverse events in Nigeria. It is to ensure commitments and a sustained national, international, financial, and political investment for birth registration within the CRVS system in Nigeria.

“The launch of the e-CRVS by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR marks the commitment of the current government and leadership to strengthen civil registration data capturing, collation, processing, dissemination, and timely access to statistics on vital events in the country. It aims to accelerate the improved civil registration and vital statistics systems in Nigeria over a period of ten years, from 2023 to 2030 in a bid to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG):16.9.2 – legal identity for all, including birth registration.”

He However, appealed to every stakeholder and particularly our friends in the media who are gathered here today, to join hands with the National Population Commission in realizing the dream of providing the needed Vital Registration data that will facilitate and place our country on the pedestal of sustainable development.

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AWESSA 2026: Customs Assures Border Cooperation for Women Entrepreneurs

Published

7 hours ago

October 25, 2026

The Gleamer

By James Samuel, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service has said the nation’s borders must become gateways of opportunity for African women entrepreneurs, not obstacles that kill their businesses.

This was disclosed at the African Women’s Economic Sovereignty Summit and Awards (AWESSA) 2026 held at the Customs House, corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja.

Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, his representative, an Assistant Controller, said hosting the summit inside Customs premises was deliberate.

“That this summit holds within the Customs premises is no accident. It is a statement of intent,” he said.

“The border is where the promise of every African trader either comes alive or dies quietly. And the men and women of this Service have resolved that for every woman entrepreneur of this continent, that promise will never die.”

He said women account for an estimated 70% of informal cross-border trade in Africa and over half of agricultural labour, yet they face documentation, standards, finance and harassment challenges.

“Too often she meets the border as an obstacle rather than a gateway. Because she trades in small volumes, in cash, in informality without formal papers, capable business women are now trapped in informality, invisible to trade statistics,” he noted.

He added: “AfCFTA will not be delivered by treaties alone. It will be delivered at border posts, in conference halls, and in market stores.”

Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, represented by a Director, said women are central to Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.

According to her, NEPC’s focus is now on building export- ready competitive enterprises through programmes like the Women in Export Initiative, Export Clinic, and Zero to Export.

“Our focus is no longer on encouraging exports alone, it is on building competitive export-ready enterprises. We are supporting women to move beyond production into value addition, quality assurance, standard compliance, branding and market positioning,” she said.

She said AfCFTA offers a market of over one billion people, but women need knowledge, certifications and institutional support.

“Empowering women economically is one of the most effective tools for achieving poverty reduction, food security, job creation and inclusive growth,” she stated.

The Convener, Helen Okon, who is the Publisher of Business Review Africa & Africa Today Magazine, as well as representatives of NAFDAC DG and NEXIM Bank MD, reaffirmed commitment to supporting women-owned businesses access standards, certification and finance.

The summit, with the theme of positioning women as drivers of trade and sustainable development, is part of activities marking the International Year of the Women Farmer.

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