Nigeria Launches ECOWAS Unified Biometric ID Card

Eleven years after the ECOWAS Heads of Immigration Forum first proposed a unified Biometric Identity Card for citizens of the sub-region, Nigeria has officially become the seventh country to roll out the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC), a modern credential designed to replace the old ECOWAS Travel Certificate and Resident Permit and to enable seamless mobility across member-states.

Unveiling the document in Abuja on Friday, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the new biometric card formed “the foundation of a security architecture where no one can hide behind anonymity,” stressing that effective national safety begins with accurate identification.

According to him, the ENBIC will help security agencies counter irregular migration, dismantle cross-border crime networks, and strengthen intelligence gathering.

Dr. Tunji-Ojo reminded stakeholders that he has “never been against migration,” but insisted that movement in and out of Nigeria must be regular, regulated and visible. He explained that the ECOWAS Heads of Immigration Forum, which met in Banjul, The Gambia, between September 24 and 25, 2014, endorsed the acceleration of ENBIC adoption and the abolition of the restrictive 90-day stay limit for citizens of member states, citing regional security and economic competitiveness as major drivers.

Anchoring the initiative to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s governance philosophy, the Minister said: “The Renewed Hope Agenda is about building systems, not slogans. No nation secures its homeland without first securing its identity layer. This administration does not dwell on promises, our interest is in what we have delivered. That is why we are here today.”

Unveiling the unified biometric identity card, the Minister of Interior said the launch represented “a renewed and decisive push against trans-border criminality, irregular migration and document falsification across West Africa.”

With this rollout, Nigeria becomes the seventh country in the sub-region to adopt the digital credential—an initiative conceived more than a decade ago but revived, accelerated and executed under what officials described as President Bola Tinubu’s results-driven and delivery-focused leadership.

The Minister said the activation of the card signals “a powerful new beginning for regional mobility, identity management and security cooperation.” He stressed that although the project encountered delays, those setbacks did not reflect Nigeria’s capability, adding that President Tinubu’s insistence on timely execution fast-tracked its completion.

He said, “This delay was abnormal for Nigeria but the moment Mr. President demanded action, the process moved. Today the promise has become reality. That is leadership , not rhetoric, but results.”

Dr. Tunji-Ojo described ENBIC as the backbone of a modern identity and national security system capable of transforming border control, immigration processes and intelligence operations. He emphasised that reliable identification is central to both national and regional safety, and noted that the credential aligns with global public key infrastructure standards, including ICAO systems.

He added that ENBIC will also ease pressure on passport demand by serving as a simpler alternative for regional travel.

“If you are travelling within ECOWAS, you no longer need a passport,” he said. “This card is adequate for all intra-regional travel.”

He linked the project to broader reforms in Nigeria’s travel and border ecosystem, including the deployment of the UN-mandated Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) in 2024, which provides early visibility of inbound travellers. He also announced that the Nigeria Immigration Service will roll out the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) in January to support stranded citizens seeking to return home.

“With ENBIC,” he added, Nigeria is not only strengthening its borders but reaffirming its leadership in a region striving for safer mobility, deeper integration and a digitally driven future.”

Representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, the Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, said the launch demonstrated Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to regional cohesion.

He recalled that the technical blueprint for the biometric card was adopted at an ECOWAS summit held in Abuja in 2014, adding that the long-awaited rollout proves that political will can turn regional agreements into reality.

According to him, the new card bears both symbolic and practical value. “In our hands is a simple card, but in our hearts lies a profound hope. Describing ENBIC as a tool of dignity for migrant women, an enabler for cross-border traders, and a promise of a West Africa where borders evolve into “bridges of opportunity rather than barriers.”

He urged ECOWAS countries to expedite deployment of the card and work towards harmonising national databases to ensure a fully interoperable regional identity system. He further called on the private sector, particularly Fintech innovators, to build solutions atop the new platform to expand inclusion and digital economic growth.

Earlier, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, said the milestone was both historic and technologically transformative. She noted that ENBIC replaces the outdated paper-based ECOWAS travel certificate and is built on advanced biometric and cryptographic

She said, “Its biometric core, anchored on high-quality facial and fingerprint data, creates a secure and verifiable link between the holder and the credential. It will strengthen identity verification, curb document fraud, and disrupt the activities of cross-border criminal networks.”

Beyond its security advantages, Nandap highlighted the socioeconomic benefits, explaining that the new identity card will boost commerce, enhance labour mobility, improve tourism, shorten border formalities and deepen cooperation among West African nations. The NIS boss added that the unified identity card t is a foundational instrument for a safer, more integrated and prosperous region,” she said.

Delivering a message on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, officials commended Nigeria for asserting strong leadership at a time of significant regional challenges. Touray disclosed that ECOWAS forces are currently deployed in Guinea-Bissau to stabilize the situation and praised Nigeria’s consistent role in supporting peace and development across the bloc.

He projected that by the next century, Nigeria is expected to be among the world’s five largest economies, and noted that the ENBIC rollout is “only the first step in the wider biometric identity ecosystem the region intends to build.”

The Chief of Mission of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Dimanche Sharon, also hailed the launch, describing the card as “a strategic step toward secure mobility” that will significantly enhance migration governance and identity verification across the sub-region.

LEADERSHIP reports that ENBIC replaces outdated ECOWAS travel documents, offering a secure, biometric-backed regional identity that will ease travel, reduce document fraud, and integrate Nigeria into the emerging West African digital mobility framework.

He said the adoption signals Nigeria’s renewed leadership in regional migration governance, aligning security reform with economic integration, and positioning the country at the centre of ECOWAS’ long-delayed biometric modernisation agenda.