The Lagos State Residents Registration Process & Its Benefits

It’s no secret that Nigeria has over 160 million people,and Lagos is teeming with the majority of them. To of course cater for these enormous population is no small feat. Housing is one of the major malaise within the State as many have no roofs over their heads or are living in less than suitable environments.

The decision therefore, to keep track of residents by the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) is not far-fetched or out-of-place; a bill that was passed on the 27^th of June, 2011, for the purpose of providing an exact picture for government policy and planning.

Used to the usual census conducted nationally from time to time, one might wonder about the necessity or importance of getting the residency card but with a significant number of the populace not living in proper, habitable quarters, inadequate infrastructures, poor health services and all the many maladies that plague us, the wisdom in a State issuing a residency card for proper planning and implementation of policies is plausible and can work with the co-operation of its residents.

With a reliable database of all the residents in Lagos State, the government is able to classify neighbourhoods within the State and determine the population thresholds for certain facilities and utilities provided. It will also help analyse and identify areas for urban regeneration and actions to be taken and generally help improve planning and decision making in every other sector. All residents; young or old, as long as you live in Lagos or intend to for more than six months must register.

The Registration Process is in two ways:

Online Registration: Applicants register via the internet by going to the LASSRA’s website and following the instructions given. When you do, a unique reference number is generated online which applicants take to their nearest registration point or office for their bio-metric information to be captured.

Direct Registration: Applicants data is entered manually by the registration officer directly into the registration data bank and their bio-metric information is captured.

To register, applicants are required to provide two proofs of residence (rent receipt and utility bill of current place of residence) at the registration station where bio-metric information will be captured and any of the following: International Passport, Birth Certificate, Employee ID card (must have address/logo of employer), National ID card, National Driver’s License, Student ID card, Tax Card or receipt, Letter of Identification from Parent/CDA/Householder or registered association or organization.

For both modes of registration, when the individual’s bio-metric data is captured at the Registration Station, a temporary Registration Card is issued for the applicant to retain. This card is valid for 12 months from the date of issue and serves as proof of registration that must be presented when the permanent residency card is printed and to be collected.

It is important to note that registration is not complete until the bio-metric data of the applicant has been collected at the point of registration. Although registration can be done anywhere, the printed residency cards are picked from the registration office located within the LGA/LCDA of place of residence.

Children less than 16 years can also be registered but their bio-metrics will not be captured since they are still undergoing development and growth. However, parents/guardians of children must present the following documentation to register a child: Birth certificate of the child to be registered (a copy will be retained by the registering officer), two passport size photograph of the child at the time of registration.

One will be attached to the registration receipt and the other attached to supporting documentation presented at registration, copy of registration receipt of person registering the child, details of parent(s) of child where person registering the child is not the legal parent. Each child that is registered will be issued with a temporary registration card, with their photograph attached. This should be retained until a permanent card is printed. Please note that the Registration officer will retain a copy of all items presented so you are expected to bring originals and copies along.

Although the initial deadline set was December 1^st, an extension has been granted to be able to accommodate the large number of people that need to be registered. With proper database, hopefully the government will be able to finance each sector of the State appropriately and meet the needs of the residents accordingly by provision of adequate social amenities especially in the area of housing which is of paramount importance.

Go get registered today! Visit the LASRRA website.