On August 29, 2024, I attended the official launch of the Renewed Hope Initiative Project to Accelerate Birth Registration at Scale in Nigeria, alongside my colleagues from the Nigeria Governors' Spouses Forum. The event, hosted by the First Lady of Nigeria, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON, at the State House in Abuja, focused on developing a strategic roadmap to enhance birth registration and strengthen civil registration systems, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 16.9.2, which aims to ensure legal identity for all, including birth registration.

The First Lady in her address shared the importance of birth registration in ensuring good governance, securing legal recognition for children, safeguarding their rights, granting access to social services, and preventing barriers to acquiring nationality or citizenship. She also announced that the commemorative birth certificate initiative would run from August 29 to December 31, 2024.

UNICEF Country Representative, Ms. Christian Munduate, lauded the Nigerian Government’s commitment to ensuring that no birth goes unregistered, particularly through the introduction of technological innovations to enhance registration rates. Traditional rulers, including the Ooni of Ife, Emir of Shonga, Etsu Nupe, and the Tor Tiv, also expressed their support, highlighting that the availability of accurate birth data is crucial for the nation’s social security.

#RenewedHopeInitiative

#chiomauzodimma

H.E. Chief Barr. (Mrs.) Chioma Uzodimma
First Lady, Imo State and Founder, GoodHope Flourish Foundation
and Secretary of Renewed Hope Initiative.