Launch of the birth registration exercise

It is with profound sense of purpose and deep commitment to the future of our children that I stand before you today to formally launch the Statewide Birth Registration Exercise in Katsina State.

This moment is not merely ceremonial, it is historic. It marks a decisive step in our administration’s unwavering resolve to ensure that no child in Katsina remains invisible—legally, socially, or statistically.

Birth registration is far more than a bureaucratic procedure. It is the first legal affirmation of a child’s identity, the foundational document that unlocks their right to education, healthcare, inheritance, social protection, and full participation in civic life. Without it, a child exists in the shadows vulnerable to exploitation, exclusion, and erasure from the very systems meant to serve them.

For too long, millions of children across Nigeria and indeed in our own communities have grown up without this basic recognition. They are absent from school enrollment records, excluded from vaccination drives, and denied access to justice when their rights are violated. This is not only a failure of systems; it is a moral deficit we must urgently correct.

Under this administration, birth registration is no longer an afterthought, it is a core pillar of child protection and inclusive governance. That is why I have directed that the residence of every Ward Head across Katsina State’s 361 wards be designated as a permanent Birth Registration Centre. This strategic decision embeds the registration process at the very heart of our communities, ensuring accessibility, cultural acceptance, and long-term sustainability.

This initiative is the product of exemplary collaboration. I commend the Department of Girl Child Education and Child Development for its visionary leadership, the National Population Commission (NPC) for its technical stewardship, ALGON for its grassroots mobilization, and UNICEF for its steadfast partnership and technical support. Together, you have laid the groundwork for a system that is not only functional but transformative.

To our Traditional and Religious Leaders, your role is indispensable. You are the moral compass and trusted voices of your communities. I urge you to champion this exercise, to encourage parents and guardians to register every newborn, and to dispel any misconceptions that may hinder participation.

To our Local Government Chairmen and Councils, this is your mandate: ensure that every Ward Registrar is equipped, trained, and supported. Monitor progress. Report challenges. Celebrate successes. Let this be a testament to your commitment to the most vulnerable among us.

And to every parent and caregiver in Katsina State: register your child. It costs nothing but a few moments of your time, yet it secures a lifetime of rights and opportunities for your son or daughter. In doing so, you are not just fulfilling a civic duty you are affirming your child’s dignity and place in our shared future.

Let us be clear: a child who is counted is a child who matters. A child with a name and a documented existence is a child who can be protected, educated, and empowered.

As we flag off this exercise today, we are not just issuing certificates we are building the architecture of inclusion. We are saying, with one voice, that every life in Katsina State is valued, every child is seen, and no one will be left behind.

This is the Katsina we are building a state where governance begins at birth, and justice begins with identity.

Thank you. May Almighty Allah continue to guide and bless the people and future of Katsina State.