Vice President Kashim Shettima has endorsed the Renewed Hope Baby Support (RHBS) programme, a new initiative aimed at improving birth registration, healthcare participation and long-term social protection for Nigerian children.
The programme was launched by the North East Development Commission (NEDC) as part of efforts to strengthen child identity systems and human capital development across the country.
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Mr Shettima spoke on Thursday during a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where the management of the commission, led by its Managing Director, Mohammed Alkali, presented the implementation framework for the programme.
The Vice President said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of 2026 as the Year of Family and Social Protection.
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He commended the commission for taking proactive steps to translate the president’s vision into action through the RHBS programme.
“The RHBS is a very timely and strategic initiative. It sits squarely within the North East Stabilisation and Development Masterplan, aligning perfectly with its three critical pillars: peaceful society, healthy citizens, and an educated populace,” he said.
He also called for collaboration between the commission, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and other relevant agencies to ensure effective implementation of the programme.
Focus on vulnerable children
According to Mr Shettima, the initiative is expected to support vulnerable families while strengthening the government’s social protection agenda.
He said the programme would serve as a strategic palliative to cushion the impact of ongoing economic reforms, particularly for women and children in the North-east.
Mr Shettima added that the programme would further position the NEDC as a key institution in implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda in the region.
He disclosed that further details on the rollout and implementation strategy would be unveiled on 27 May to commemorate Children’s Day.
Millions of births unregistered
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Regional Development and NEDC in the Office of the Vice President, Mariam Masha, said the programme was designed to address gaps in birth registration and access to social services.
Ms Masha said Nigeria records about 7.6 million births annually, but fewer than half are formally registered within the first year of life.
She noted that the gap leaves millions of children outside official national records, weakening planning in education, healthcare and social development.
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According to her, the RHBS programme is designed to create a structured pathway linking birth registration, healthcare participation and long-term opportunity development for every Nigerian child.
“RHBS is positioned as a structured national programme, not a traditional welfare intervention. It uses milestone-linked support to connect children from birth to formal systems of identity, health, and opportunity,” she said.
Ms Masha added that the programme is intended to support early childhood development and strengthen long-term human capital development across the country.
She stressed that the required infrastructure and political backing for the initiative already exist, adding that “what is now required is disciplined execution.”
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