Daji Sani in Yola
The National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced strikes to harmonize marriage and divorce registration in Nigeria with the opening of the North-East Zonal Consultation on the Draft Harmonized Protocol for Marriage and Divorce Registration.
The session, held on the City Green Hotel in Yola, Adamawa State, introduced collectively stakeholders from the six states of the North-east geopolitical zone for a two-day assessment of the draft framework aimed toward strengthening Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system.
Declaring the session open on Wednesday, the Commissioner Overseeing the Chairman’s Office of the NPC and Hon. Federal Commissioner for Plateau State, Hon. (Mrs.) Mary Ishaya Afan, who was represented by Mr. Teniola Caxton, stated the train marks an vital stage in creating a unified and useful civil registration system within the nation.
Mrs. Afan stated marriage and divorce are greater than social or cultural occasions, describing them as important authorized acts that create rights and obligations with far-reaching implications for people, households and communities.
According to her, correct notification, registration and certification present a foundation for shielding rights referring to spousal assist, baby custody, inheritance, property and different authorized entitlements, whereas additionally producing important statistics for planning, social safety and repair supply.
She famous that such statistics are required for evidence-based planning, prevention of kid marriage, promotion of gender equality and efficient supply of public providers throughout the nation.
The commissioner lamented that regardless of their significance, marriage and divorce registration in Nigeria have remained fragmented, with completely different establishments working completely different procedures, varieties and record-keeping preparations.
She listed the establishments to incorporate the NPC, the judiciary, Ministries of Interior and Justice, native governments, faith-based organizations and conventional establishments, including that processes stay largely paper-based with restricted coordination and information integration.
Afan defined that it was in opposition to this background that the fee, in collaboration with related stakeholders and growth companions, developed the Draft Harmonized Protocol at a nationwide workshop held in July 2025 on the United Nations House in Abuja.
She stated the Draft Protocol seeks to determine widespread procedures, make clear institutional mandates and duties, strengthen information administration inside the digital CRVS system together with the VITALREG platform, and acknowledge Nigeria’s statutory, customary, Islamic and Christian marriage techniques, whereas additionally offering for digitization, decentralization and information safety.
Also talking on the stakeholders’ occasion, the Deputy Director of Civil Registration of the NPC, Mrs. Obodo Adaku, recalled that the NPC is statutorily mandated to register births, deaths, stillbirths, marriages and divorces throughout the nation.
Mrs. Adaku stated many Nigerians who’re married or divorced would not have their unions formally registered, a spot the fee is set to shut by means of the harmonized framework.
She stated the NPC is aimed toward strengthening the registration of all classes of marriages and divorces to make sure each union has authorized backing and could be defended the place vital.
She added that correct registration will give married {couples} and divorced individuals the authorized rights to hunt redress, declare entitlements and shield the pursuits of youngsters and households in accordance with the legislation.
