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Nigeria Launches ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card to Strengthen Regional Security and Integration
The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially launched the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC), a major milestone in regional integration, secure migration management, and modern identity systems across West Africa.
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The launch took place in Abuja on Friday under the theme “ENBIC: Enhancing Regional Integration and Security.” Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, described the rollout as the fulfilment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s digital security vision and the result of the Nigeria Immigration Service’s (NIS) sustained efforts over the last decade.
A Milestone in ECOWAS Identity Modernisation
Nigeria becomes the seventh ECOWAS member state to deploy the biometric identity card, following Senegal, Ghana, Benin, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau.
The ENBIC replaces the old ECOWAS Travel Certificate and serves as a chip-embedded, ICAO-compliant identity and travel document containing biometric data—including fingerprints and facial recognition—to ensure secure and verifiable identity across borders.
Key Features and Benefits of ENBIC
- Replaces outdated documents: Ends the use of paper-based ECOWAS Travel Certificates.
- Regional travel freedom: Enables seamless movement within ECOWAS without an international passport.
- Advanced security: Biometric and cryptographic features help combat identity fraud and cross-border crime.
- Economic integration: Facilitates movement of goods, services, capital, and people.
- Multi-purpose use: In Nigeria, integrates with NIN, and functions as a banking debit or prepaid card, usable online and offline.
- ICAO compliance: Features a Machine-Readable Zone (MRZ) for easier verification at airports and land borders.
Issuance and Availability Across West Africa
Member states issue the card to citizens aged 15 and above. Nigeria’s version, launched on 28 November 2025, is valid for ten years.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will work with commercial banks, telecom operators, and government agencies to ensure nationwide enrollment and collection.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo said Nigeria’s adoption of the ENBIC, although delayed compared to other ECOWAS states, “marks a significant step toward strengthening regional security, migration management, and lawful mobility.”
Strengthening Security and Migration Management
The minister emphasized that the ENBIC is central to Nigeria’s structural security reforms:
- It provides a reliable biometric foundation for border control.
- Reduces irregular migration and enhances orderly movement.
- Supports intelligence gathering and national security operations.
- Provides security agencies with real-time identity verification capabilities.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo also revealed that integration with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)’s Public Key Directory (PKD) is underway, enabling automatic verification at global entry points.
Related Security Innovations: APIS Deployment and Passport Decongestion
Highlighting broader security reforms, the minister noted that Nigeria fully implemented the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) in 2024—seven years after the United Nations Security Council mandated it. The system prevents any passenger from entering Nigeria without prior security screening.
He added that ENBIC will reduce pressure on Nigeria’s passport issuance system, especially for citizens who travel only within ECOWAS. Traders, informal sector workers, and small business owners—who frequently move across borders—stand to benefit the most.
Toward a Regional Migration Database
Nigeria is also engaging ECOWAS member states on the creation of a regional migration database, similar to the European Schengen Information System. The initiative would unify data on cross-border movement, enhance security intelligence, and curb transnational crime.
According to the minister, “West Africa has the expertise and capacity to build this system if there is collective political will.”
Next Reform: Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP)
Dr. Tunji-Ojo announced that the government will launch the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) in January. STEP will allow Nigerians abroad who lose their passports to generate a secure emergency travel document from a mobile device without visiting an embassy.
He urged Nigerians to support ongoing reforms, noting that the Tinubu administration is committed to “delivering concrete results, not promises,” especially in identity modernization, border security, and national safety.
