As part of efforts to drastically reduce insecurity in Nigeria, the federal government has broadened its regional security strategy and modernized national identity management with the formal introduction of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC).
This move signalling a renewed offensive against transborder criminality, irregular migration and document falsification across West Africa.
With the rollout, Nigeria becomes the seventh country in the sub-region to adopt the digital credential, a scheme conceived more than a decade ago but revived under what officials described as President Bola Tinubu’s results-driven leadership.
Speaking at the official launch ceremony, Friday in Abuja, Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the activation of the biometric card marks “a powerful new beginning” for regional mobility and security cooperation.
The Minister said the project’s protracted delay did not reflect Nigeria’s capacity or ambition, adding that President Tinubu’s insistence on timely delivery accelerated its completion.
“It is unlike the Nigerian standard, which is why this delay was unusual,” he said. “The good news is that President Tinubu pushed for action, and today the promise has become reality. This is what leadership looks like — not talk, but delivery.”
Tunji-Ojo described ENBIC as the backbone of a modern identity and security system capable of transforming border control and intelligence gathering. He stressed that reliable identification is essential to national and regional security, explaining that the new credential aligns with international public key infrastructures such as ICAO systems and will ease pressure on passport demand by providing a simpler travel option for movement within West Africa.
“If you are travelling only within ECOWAS, you no longer need a passport. This card is sufficient for all regional travel,” he said.
He, however, linked the project to ongoing reforms in the country’s travel and border framework, including the deployment of the UN-mandated Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) in 2024, which grants authorities early visibility of inbound travellers.
The minister also said the Nigeria Immigration Service will introduce the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) in January to assist stranded citizens wishing to return home.
“With ENBIC, Nigeria is not only strengthening its borders but reaffirming its leadership in a region seeking safer mobility, deeper integration and a digitally driven future,” he added.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by Permanent Secretary Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, situated the rollout within Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to regional cohesion.
The SGF recalled that the technical blueprint for the biometric card was adopted at an ECOWAS summit hosted in Abuja in 2014, describing Friday’s launch as a testament to shared political will.
He said the card carries symbolic and practical significance.
“In our hands is a simple card, but in our hearts lies a profound hope,” he noted, calling it a tool of dignity for migrant women, an enabler for cross-border traders and a promise of a West Africa where borders become “bridges of opportunity rather than barriers.”
Akume urged ECOWAS member states to accelerate the deployment of the card and harmonize national databases to build a fully interoperable regional identity system.
He also challenged the private sector, especially fintech innovators, to build services atop the platform to drive inclusion and digital growth.
Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, described the milestone as both historic and technologically significant.
She said the ENBIC replaces the old paper-based travel certificate and is built on advanced biometric and cryptographic architecture compliant with ECOWAS and ICAO standards.
“Its biometric core — anchored on high-quality facial and fingerprint data — provides a secure link between the holder and the credential. ”
She said: “It will strengthen verification processes, reduce document fraud and disrupt the operations of cross-border criminal networks.”
Beyond its security value, Nandap highlighted its socioeconomic benefits, noting that it will boost commerce, improve labour mobility, enhance tourism, quicken border formalities and deepen cooperation among West African nations. “It is a foundational tool for a more secure, integrated and prosperous region,” she added.
In a message delivered on his behalf, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, commended Nigeria for once again asserting leadership at a time of significant regional challenges. He disclosed that ECOWAS forces were currently deployed in Guinea-Bissau to stabilise the situation and praised Nigeria’s continuing role in promoting peace and development across the bloc.
He projected that by the turn of the next century, Nigeria is expected to rank among the world’s top five economies, adding that the ENBIC rollout is “only the beginning” of a wider biometric identity ecosystem the region hopes to build.
The Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Dimanche Sharon, also hailed the launch, describing the card as “a strategic step toward secure mobility” that will greatly enhance migration management and identity verification in the sub-region.
