Future of statistics for Africa: Statistics that leave no one behind, the example of making birth registration in Nigeria more inclusive

Abstract

The RapidSMS is an online database system which was introduced in Nigeria in 2011 as an open source software tool for monitoring birth registration process. The innovation allows real-time tracking of the local government and regional birth registration activities with the core machinery being registration at the local levels. Birth registrars are reporting aggregated numbers and registration disaggregated in four age groups < 1, 1–4, 5–9, 10–17 by sex, geographical location and by registration centre. The center-by-center data collection mechanism reflects the children’s population data indicating where birth registration coverage varies substantially between states and in some cases between local government/community setting. The dashboard is helping to identify where non-registered children likely account for some of the most excluded and vulnerable children in Nigerian communities and where rates are often lowest for such children. These statistics are mostly found in rural areas, from poor families and with parents who have minimal or no formal education. The innovation (with its functionality improved on consistent basis) is helping to identify disparities in service delivery and facilitating prompt, evidence-based responses to areas where birth registration levels are low. It is assisting with tracking the trend of registration that will help the country reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – birth registration-goal 16.9 by 2030. Specific focus is on how the dashboard is helping to improve data acquisition and analysis including registration coverage and not just registration events. The write up further explores how the RapidSMS is providing a platform for real-time analysis of decentralized birth registration data as an essential information for understanding efficient service delivery, improved local level registration and developing specific solutions where state level analysis and solutions are often too broad.