SPECIAL REPORT: Poor death registration in Nigeria affects identity system, voters register

Eighteen years after the last census, Nigeria’s population data still rely largely on estimates and projections, which are often inaccurate. However, the problem is further compounded by the inefficiency of the civil registration and vital statistics systems.

Vital statistics primarily deal with events that affect an individual’s civil status, such as births, deaths, stillbirths, marriages, and annulments. These data should be collected continuously as they are crucial for managing the national identification system, voters register, and other government data.

Data on deaths and their causes are essential for planning health services at local and national levels. For example, statistics on causes of death are useful in forecasting trends in age-specific mortality.

Epidemiological studies based on causes of morbidity, which significantly influence mortality trends, often rely on records generated by the vital statistics system.

Legal framework for registration

Nigerian law mandates the National Population Commission (NPC) to register births and deaths. Under the Births, Deaths, etc. (Compulsory) Registration Act, the registration is mandatory and the law provides guidelines for the process.

According to the NPC, there are 4,000 registration points for death registration, with each of the 774 local governments having a minimum of four centres. In addition to these physical locations, the NPC website provides an online registration platform where individuals can register deceased persons using their National Identification Number (NIN).

However, the implementation of this law faces several challenges, including a lack of incentives for families to register their deceased members, inadequate registration centres, poor enforcement of the law, and weak internet infrastructure, particularly in rural areas.

Public perception and compliance

“Why should I bother with any registration when I don’t need a death certificate for anything?” asked Muhedeen Atanda, a resident of Owu Isin in Kwara State who recently lost his aged father. His father died at home, and the family’s primary concern was the burial rites.

“I think those whose parents were pensioners or had wealth are the ones who care about getting a death certificate for legal processes to access their inheritance,” Mr Atanda added.

For many, like Mr Atanda, there is little incentive to go through the registration process, particularly if they see no immediate benefit. Experts argue that the process itself is too cumbersome, making compliance even more difficult.

Additionally, public awareness of death registration in Nigeria remains low. Even among professionals, knowledge of a national death register is limited, as most hospitals only maintain their own records, which government agencies can access if needed.

Abayomi Erinsoso, a public health physician at the Federal Medical Centre in Jabi, stated that most hospitals keep records of deaths but only provide them when requested by the NPC or the National Bureau of Statistics.

“I think the records are kept by hospitals, and whoever needs them can request access. I don’t believe there is a national database for storing such information. Each hospital that registers a death keeps its own record. When the NPC or NBS needs it, they request it. I don’t think there’s a system for automatically transmitting this data,” Mr Erinsoso said in a phone interview.

Gaps in the system

David Okorafor, a professor of economics at the University of Abuja, criticised the system for collecting birth and death data, describing it as inefficient and doomed to fail.

“Not everyone reports deaths. What about those who die in rural villages? Most times, registrations only happen when road safety officials or government agencies are involved. Many people die without any official record, particularly in remote areas with poor communication infrastructure. If you check, you’ll hardly find some of these registration centres functioning,” Mr Okorafor noted.

He argued that local governments and communities should be responsible for registering deaths, with village heads playing a key role in ensuring accurate records. He also highlighted how the government’s failure to ensure proper birth and death registration complicates planning efforts.

“The consequences are obvious. Planning relies on statistics. Without reliable data, how can we plan effectively? This is why many of our policies fail to deliver the desired results—because we don’t even know the population we are planning for,” he added.

A review of the limited data provided by the NPC suggests that accuracy concerns, as raised by Mr Okorafor, are valid. The NPC claims to have recorded zero stillbirths. However, a UNICEF report states that “three in four stillbirths occur in sub-Saharan Africa or Southern Asia, with Nigeria among the countries with the highest stillbirth rates in Africa.”

This discrepancy suggests improper data harmonisation by relevant agencies or that the NPC is not able to capture cases of stillbirths in Nigeria. Experts believe that compliance with birth registration is higher because of the incentive of obtaining a birth certificate, which is a vital document.

Testing the registration portal

A Mortuary used to illustrate the story

PREMIUM TIMES attempted to use the death registration portal on the NPC website to register a deceased person. The interface allows users to input the deceased’s details, including their NIN. The informant (the person registering) must also have a valid NIN, which must be verified before the registration can be completed.

However, this reporter encountered difficulties at the second stage, as the system failed to verify his NIN. After several unsuccessful attempts, the system eventually blocked further submissions. While this single failed attempt cannot be generalised, the cumbersome nature of the process may discourage many from using the platform.

The alternative to online registration is the physical registration points in local government areas. While the existence of 4,000 centres may sound impressive, the centres have not been properly mapped for easy access and many people are unaware of their locations. The NPC stated on its website that mapping of the centres is ongoing.

“The centres have not been mapped, but the Cartography Department has commenced mapping,” the NPC stated.

Consequences of inadequate death registration

One major challenge Nigeria faces is the multiplicity of data across different agencies, with no proper harmonisation. Despite years of government promises to integrate data, the issue remains unresolved.

For instance, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) maintains voter data, banks hold records of account holders, and various agencies collect data for different purposes. However, many of these databases still contain records of deceased individuals.

Last month, INEC announced the removal of more than 7,700 deceased persons from the voters’ register. However, many believe that the number of dead individuals still listed in the voter register and the National Identity System far exceeds what INEC has removed.

The commission also admitted that the “problems with official death records continue to make it very difficult for INEC to remove deceased registrants.”

Pensioners also suffer due to the lack of a reliable death registry. They are periodically required to undergo physical verification to prove they are still alive, often leading to hardship. Several deaths have been recorded during these verification exercises. A comprehensive national database could eliminate the need for pensioners to endure such suffering.

As things stand, Mr Atanda and many others remain unaware of the importance of death registration, and the NPC is not actively raising awareness.

PREMIUM TIMES contacted the NPC via email for comments on the findings in this report, but the organisation did not respond. Also, the phone contact listed on its website did not connect.

This report is produced under the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship Programme of the Media Foundation for West Africa and Co-Develop.

Page planned and produced by: Esther Adaji