The Lagos residents’ agency says registration is completely free and urges the public to report any official demanding payment during the exercise

The Lagos State Residents Registration Agency, led by General Manager Bilikis Adebiyi-Abiola, on Thursday, August 27, 2026, warned registration agents against collecting money from residents for LASRRA registration, insisting that the exercise remains a free service provided by the Lagos State Government.

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Adebiyi-Abiola issued the warning during a community sensitisation programme in Ajah, Lagos, where she encouraged residents to report any agent demanding payment for registration.

The LASRRA boss said the agency operates a strict zero-tolerance policy against extortion, stressing that there is no circumstance under which residents should pay to be captured in the state’s residents’ database.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy for any agent who is collecting money because LASRRA is absolutely free. If you notice, in every single one of our stations, we have a sign that says, ‘LASRRA is free’,” Adebiyi-Abiola said.

She urged anyone approached for payment to immediately notify the agency, adding that the government had deliberately removed financial barriers to encourage wider participation in the registration exercise.

“There is no reason whatsoever for anybody to collect money from anyone because the government has made this a free service and it’s free,” she added.

The sensitisation campaign forms part of a broader effort to expand LASRRA registration beyond conventional registration centres and bring the service closer to residents across the state.

According to Adebiyi-Abiola, officials are now visiting communities, schools and vaccination clinics instead of relying solely on residents to visit agency offices.

She disclosed that registration begins from birth and revealed that the agency had upgraded its software and biometric devices to enable newborn babies to be registered without being physically handled.

The innovation, she said, is designed to ensure that children are captured in the residents’ database from the earliest stage of life, improving long-term planning and access to government services.

Adebiyi-Abiola also revealed that LASRRA currently has about seven million residents in its database but is pursuing several initiatives to increase the number significantly.

One of those initiatives involves collaboration with the Office of Education Quality Assurance to extend compulsory registration to private schools, while pupils in public schools are already required to register.

She said markets, offices and neighbourhoods had also become priority locations for outreach because many Lagos residents either lack awareness of the programme or struggle to find time to register.

The general manager explained that LASRRA identification has become increasingly important for accessing various Lagos State Government services and social intervention programmes.

As an added incentive, she announced that the agency had reserved 50 slots for registered residents at the ongoing Lagos State Trade Fair to demonstrate some of the practical benefits of being enrolled in the state’s database.

The community engagement also received the backing of traditional leadership.

The monarch of Okun Ajah Kingdom, Oba Kolawole Olumegbon, commended the agency for taking the awareness campaign directly to residents, describing the initiative as an important tool for improving governance and community development.

According to the monarch, the growing number of registered residents has helped government better understand the needs of communities and plan infrastructure more effectively.

“There is a tremendous improvement, especially when it comes to infrastructural development that has happened in this axis.

All thanks to the number of people who have registered through LASRRA and it helps the government to determine and know what they need for the people,” Olumegbon said.

He said the registration exercise was ultimately about helping government identify residents’ welfare needs and deliver public services more efficiently.

“The essence of this registration through LASRRA is for the government to know our welfare and how to take care of us. So, that’s why it’s very important to register with LASRRA,” he added.

The monarch urged residents who have not yet enrolled to do so promptly and encouraged those already registered to educate family members, neighbours and friends about the programme, particularly the fact that even day-old babies are eligible for registration.

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The renewed awareness drive highlights Lagos State’s effort to build a more comprehensive residents’ database capable of supporting planning, service delivery and inclusive development across its rapidly growing population.