Nigeria Unveils ECOWAS ID Card To Boost Regional Travel, Security

The Federal Government on Friday rolled out the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) to enhance regional integration, secure mobility, and strengthen border management across West Africa.

The unveiling event, themed “ENBIC: Enhancing Regional Integration and Security,” took place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

It brought together senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, ECOWAS representatives, development partners and key stakeholders in West Africa’s migration and security governance.

The event ushered in the long-awaited transition from the paper-based ECOWAS travel certificate to a modern biometric identity system that promises to reshape mobility, strengthen regional security, and advance ECOWAS’s long-term integration vision.

In his address at the rollout ceremony, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the move represents not only a technological milestone but also the consolidation of President Bola Tinubu’s agenda on border security, economic reforms, continental leadership, and the country’s evolving security challenges.

Tunji-Ojo recalled that the ECOWAS biometric identity card project was conceived 11 years ago but had remained dormant until the Tinubu administration revived and completed it.

He said, “Today, it’s about the dream of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu meeting the tenacity and commitment of the great officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service. This rollout is coming 11 years after the project was conceived, but this President came in 2023 and gave us the marching order that Nigeria must lead, not by words, but by results.”

The minister noted that while Nigeria may not be the first among ECOWAS states to launch the biometric card, six others had launched theirs earlier. He said the country’s entry marks a decisive shift toward a more structured, efficient, and future-driven security architecture.

He stressed that identity management sits at the heart of national and regional security, insisting that no nation can protect its borders without knowing who is crossing them.

“You cannot protect those you don’t know. Every day, people come through our borders. Without proper identification, insecurity becomes the natural outcome. With this card, we are creating the foundation upon which security agencies can build effective intelligence-gathering mechanisms.”

Tunji-Ojo reiterated that the biometric card is not just a symbolic credential but a vital tool for economic empowerment, security monitoring, and regional cooperation. The card, he said, aligns with Ghana’s system and will be integrated into the International Civil Aviation Authority’s (ICAO) Public Key Directory, ensuring seamless authentication at airports and land borders across the sub-region.

The minister highlighted the economic relief the new card will provide to ordinary Nigerians, especially small-scale traders and frequent cross-border commuters.

He explained that citizens who travel only within ECOWAS countries no longer need an international passport, as the ENBIC will serve as a fully valid travel document across West Africa.

He said, “If you are not travelling outside ECOWAS, please don’t disturb the passport system. Go and get an ECOWAS card. To the woman who goes from Lagos to Cotonou for trade, she doesn’t need an international passport anymore. To the man who lives in Borno and goes to Niger for business, he doesn’t need it either.”

Tunji-Ojo noted that the move removes unnecessary pressure from Nigeria’s passport production and issuance processes, which have historically suffered surges in demand due to economic constraints and regional travel needs.

The minister insisted that this reform would debunk long-standing claims that Nigerians pursue passports out of poverty, clarifying that passports must be preserved for international travel beyond the West African sub-region.

He also stressed the structural reforms undertaken by the current administration. He referenced Nigeria’s deployment of the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) in 2024—a decade after the United Nations Security Council mandated its implementation in 2014.

Tunji-Ojo said, “It was never done until 2024 when this president got it done. Today, nobody enters or leaves Nigeria without us knowing before they come. That is leadership. That is border control.”

He also linked ENBIC to President Tinubu’s “bold” economic decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidy, which saved the country billions of dollars and shifted Nigeria from a consumption-driven economy to one focused on production.

According to the minister, “In 2022, Nigeria spent about 96% of its revenue just servicing debt. It took this President to end that and move us toward an era of production. It takes courage.”

The minister also announced a forthcoming innovation: the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP). The new system will allow Nigerians who lose their passports abroad to obtain emergency travel documents digitally without visiting embassies.

“The era when you are stranded abroad because you misplaced your passport will end by January,” he promised adding that, “With your phone, or access to any phone, you will get the document you need to come back home.”

Tunji-Ojo further urged Nigerians to recognise the sacrifices of security personnel and to contribute individually to national cohesion.

“Nation-building is a joint task. Let us all ask ourselves: What is my contribution to national security? Do your part, I do mine, and Nigeria will be greater for it,” he added.

Representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, who delivered a keynote address, anchored the biometric rollout within ECOWAS’s founding principles of collective destiny.

Akume noted that since ECOWAS was formed in 1975, Nigeria has played a foundational role in shaping its policies, financing its operations, and hosting key deliberations, including the 2014 summit that produced the framework for the ECOWAS biometric identity regime.

He said, “This card is a monument to our shared political will. It demonstrates what we can achieve when regional stability is prioritised above narrow national considerations.”

He described the ENBIC as a symbol of dignity for migrant women, mobility for informal traders, and security for the region. He stressed that the card marks the beginning of a new chapter in regional integration, not the end of Nigeria’s obligations.

Akume called for an accelerated rollout across all 15 ECOWAS member states to ensure that citizens from Lagos to Dakar and from Accra to Niamey can access the card without delay.

He urged ECOWAS states to harmonise national databases, strengthen cross-border identity verification, empower technical teams to enhance interoperability, and encourage private sector involvement in developing digital and financial services built around the identity platform.

Akume also praised development partners, including the European Union, GIZ, and the International Organization for Migration, for their contributions and urged continued collaboration.

He described the card as “more than plastic,” but a symbol of hope for a West Africa where borders become gateways to opportunity.

Earlier, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs. Kemi Nanna Nandap, in her welcome address, noted the historical and technical foundations of the ENBIC.

She explained that the biometric card marks the formal decommissioning of the decades-old paper ECOWAS travel certificate, ushering Nigeria into a modern, secure, machine-readable identity regime aligned with international standards.

She traced the project’s origins to ECOWAS protocols, particularly the decision A.D.C.E. 2.7.85, which laid the foundation for biometric identity management for free movement of persons, residence, and establishment across West Africa.

The CG described ENBIC as a multifunctional credential serving as: a biometric travel document, a nationally recognised identity card, and a residence permit for ECOWAS citizens living in member states.

She elaborated on its technical strengths, including: high-quality biometric data capture, advanced cryptographic security, globally recognised architecture, machine readability under ICAO Document 9303, and real-time interoperability across national border systems.

Nandap said the socioeconomic implications are profound. The ENBIC will benefit informal traders, enhance labour mobility, simplify border processes, empower tourism and investment, and reduce document fraud.

She described it as a “foundational instrument for building a more secure, integrated, and prosperous West Africa,” promising that the NIS will ensure effective deployment nationwide.

Delivering a message on behalf of Dr. Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, a representative praised Nigeria’s leadership and declared the rollout a significant milestone in West African integration.

He noted Nigeria’s pivotal role in addressing regional terrorism, political instability, and economic challenges.

He revealed that ECOWAS forces, including Nigerian officers, are currently in Guinea-Bissau to prevent civil conflict and facilitate dialogue.

The ECOWAS Commission described Nigeria as a nation whose leadership inspires the entire West African region, especially amid global instability.

The Commission projected that by the year 2100, Nigeria would rank among the top five countries with the highest GDP globally, underscoring the need for strong identity systems to support future growth.

The representative emphasised that the rollout in Nigeria is “only the beginning” and that ECOWAS envisions a robust regional adoption across all member states.

He said, “This card is a symbol of unity, progress, and shared destiny. We are proud that Nigeria is taking the lead.”

Goodwill messages were delivered by key development partners including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the European Union Delegation. Each expressed support for Nigeria’s leadership and reiterated their commitment to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the ENBIC system.

They commended Nigeria for its dedication to modernisation, regional collaboration, and global best practices in identity management.