FG launches ECOWAS biometric ID card after 11 years of conception

The federal government has launched the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Cards (ENBIC) to foster the ease of doing business, promote economic prosperity, and enhance security within the sub-region.

The project, a brainchild of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), was launched after 11 years of its conception.

This step means that Nigeria has now joined six other countries within the region that have already rolled out the project in line with ECOWAS protocol to address security issues and boost the economies of member states of ECOWAS.

It was gathered that the project had been paused for over a decade, but officials said the renewed drive under President Bola Tinubu paved the way for its completion.

At the unveiling ceremony in Abuja, Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the card signals a complete shift in how Nigeria approaches border protection and identity verification.

Tunji-Ojo described the event as “a powerful new beginning,” noting that the project could have been completed years earlier but was delayed by weak political will.

According to him, President Tinubu pushed aggressively for delivery. “It is unlike the Nigerian standard. That is very unusual, but the good news is that President Tinubu came in, insisted on delivery, and today the promise has become a reality.

This is leadership in action, not about what we will do but what we have done,” he said. Tunji-Ojo stressed that the new card would significantly improve intelligence gathering, reduce document fraud and prevent irregular migration across West Africa.

He added that the biometric system will integrate with global public key directories such as ICAO and relieve pressure on the Nigerian passport by offering an alternative for regional travel.

“If you are not travelling outside ECOWAS, you don’t need a passport. This card takes you anywhere within the region,” the minister explained.

He noted that the initiative aligns with recent reforms, including the deployment of the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), which allows authorities to process traveller data ahead of arrival.

“This government inherited problems but refused to give excuses. It has straightened situations others postponed,” he added.

The minister also revealed that the Nigeria Immigration Service will introduce the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) in January to assist stranded Nigerians who need to return home.

Speaking on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Permanent Secretary Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma said the project reflects Nigeria’s long-standing leadership in ECOWAS.

He recalled that the blueprint for the biometric travel card was first developed at an ECOWAS summit hosted in Nigeria in 2014. According to him, the successful rollout “stands as a monument to shared political will” and demonstrates what West African nations can achieve by prioritising unity and collective security.

“Today we hold in our hands a simple card, but in our hearts we hold a profound hope,” Akume said through his representative.

The SGF also described the card as a symbol of empowerment for small traders, protection for migrant women, and a pathway to economic opportunities for millions of West Africans.

He called on member states to harmonise their databases to build a uniform identity architecture across the region, adding that fintech companies should begin exploring services and innovations around the new platform.