By Francis Wilfred
The Federal Government has strengthened its regional security strategy with the official launch of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC), a modern digital credential designed to curb cross-border crimes, irregular migration and document falsification across West Africa.Nigeria becomes the seventh ECOWAS country to deploy the biometric card, reviving a decade-old project under what officials described as President Bola Tinubu’s performance-driven leadership. The initiative marks a significant upgrade in the country’s identity management and regional mobility systems.Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the introduction of ENBIC signifies “a powerful new beginning” for regional security and integration. He noted that delays in the project’s implementation did not reflect Nigeria’s capacity, adding that President Tinubu’s directive ensured timely delivery.“This is what leadership looks like — not talk, but delivery,” he said. “With this card, anyone travelling within ECOWAS no longer needs a passport.”
The minister described ENBIC as the backbone of a modern identity and security framework, built on international public key infrastructure standards and aligned with ICAO protocols. He added that the card will ease pressure on passport demand, enhance intelligence gathering and support ongoing reforms such as the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), deployed in 2024.He also announced that the Nigeria Immigration Service will introduce the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) in January to assist stranded citizens seeking to return home.Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by Permanent Secretary Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, said the rollout reinforces Nigeria’s long-standing commitment to regional unity. He recalled that the card’s technical blueprint was adopted at an ECOWAS summit in Abuja in 2014.“In our hands is a simple card, but in our hearts lies a profound hope,” he said, describing ENBIC as a tool of dignity for migrants, an enabler for cross-border trade and a symbol of regional opportunity.
Akume urged other ECOWAS states to speed up deployment and harmonize their national databases to create a fully interoperable West African identity ecosystem. He also called on fintech companies to develop services using the new platform to enhance digital inclusion.Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, described ENBIC as both historic and technologically significant. She explained that the card replaces the outdated paper travel certificate and incorporates advanced facial and fingerprint biometrics.“It will strengthen verification processes, reduce document fraud and disrupt cross-border criminal networks,” she said.Nandap noted that beyond security, the card will improve commerce, enhance labour mobility, support tourism, and reduce border clearance time, contributing to a more integrated regional economy.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, in a message delivered on his behalf, praised Nigeria’s leadership amid ongoing regional challenges. He revealed that ECOWAS forces are currently deployed in Guinea-Bissau to stabilise the situation and acknowledged Nigeria’s consistent role in promoting peace and development. He projected that Nigeria could become one of the world’s top five economies by the next century, adding that ENBIC represents the early stage of a broader biometric ecosystem envisioned for the sub-region. The Chief of Mission, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Dimanche Sharon, described the launch as “a strategic step toward secure mobility,” noting that it will significantly enhance migration management and identity verification across West Africa.
