A birth certificate is needed for school admission, international passports, visas and more. In Nigeria, births are registered by the National Population Commission (NPC). Children get a birth certificate; adults who were never registered get a “birth attestation”. Here is how both work.
0–17years: birth certificate
18+years: birth attestation
Freeat NPC centres for under-5s
🤔 Which one do you need?
👶
Birth certificate
For children from birth to 17 years. Best done soon after birth.
0–17 years🧑
Birth attestation
For people 18 and above whose birth was never registered. Often needed for passports and visas.
18+ years🖨️
Reprint / reissue
Lost or damaged certificate? Request a reprint or reissue through the NPC website’s services.
Replacement👶 Register a child’s birth
- At an NPC registration centreVisit the NPC registration centre in your Local Government Area (many hospitals also have NPC registrars). Registration at the centre is free for children under 5.
- Or onlineUse the NPC self-service portal on the official NPC website. Online self-service registration costs ₦5,000 and payment is not refundable.
- Have the details readyThe child’s NIN (for online registration), the parents’ details and NIN, and a parent’s birth certificate or attestation number. At least one parent must be Nigerian.
- Download or collectOnline certificates can be downloaded once — save it carefully and print copies. For extra copies, request a reprint on the portal.
