ECOWAS, IOM explain how new National Biometric Identity Card will ease movement across West Africa

• New ECOWAS biometric card to ease cross-border movement while strengthening identity verification and border security

• Nigeria Immigration Service explains how ENBIC will work at borders and what travellers need to know

• ECOWAS, IOM unveil benefits of biometric identity card for safer migration and regional integration

The ENBIC is a regional identity and travel document designed to facilitate legitimate movement across ECOWAS member states while strengthening identity verification and border management.

During the workshop held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, officials of ECOWAS, IOM and the Nigeria Immigration Service explained how the biometric card is expected to support free movement across ECOWAS member states without removing immigration checks at points of entry and exit.

Nigeria officially rolled out the ENBIC as a Nigerian travel document on November 28, 2025. The card costs ₦35,500, including applicable charges.

According to the Nigeria Immigration Service, the biometric card is anchored in the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Residence and Establishment. It is designed to provide secure and reliable identification for travellers.

While using the card, NIS officers are still required to verify the authenticity of the document, confirm that the person presenting it is the rightful holder, and determine the traveller's admissibility.

In Nigeria, the Passport and Other Travel Documents department has primary responsibility for ENBIC issuance, from application and biometric enrolment to verification and production, while border commands are responsible for operational verification at points of entry and exit.

Applications begin online through the NIS ENBIC portal, followed by document verification, biometric enrolment, processing, production and issuance.

The NIS said ENBIC is expected to improve interoperability among ECOWAS member states, strengthen confidence in regional identity systems and facilitate legitimate cross-border movement.

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The Service also highlighted public awareness, officer training, and stronger collaboration with ECOWAS, IOM, and other stakeholders as priorities for effective implementation.

Speaking at the workshop, the Assistant Comptroller-General in charge of Passport and Other Travel Documents at the Nigeria Immigration Service, ACG T.O. Olaiya, said the card represents an important step in the region's integration efforts.

“The ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) represents a watershed moment in the trajectory of regional integration. This biometric card is much more than a travel document; it is a vital instrument for deeper regional integration, designed to facilitate the legitimate and seamless movement of our citizens across West Africa. For us at the Nigeria Immigration Service, implementing this project is a statutory duty we execute with the utmost rigour and commitment. Our operational mandate places us at the centre of a delicate but necessary balance: facilitating the free movement of ECOWAS citizens while strictly preserving the integrity and security of Nigeria's borders."

Also speaking, IOM Head of Suboffice, Lagos, Ali Ibrahim, said the success of the initiative should be measured by its wider impact on mobility and citizens.

“The success of ENBIC will ultimately be measured not only by the number of cards issued, but by the extent to which it contributes to safer mobility, stronger regional integration, increased economic opportunities, and a better experience for citizens moving across ECOWAS borders.”

On his part, ECOWAS Director of Free Movement of Persons, Migration, and Tourism, Mr Obinna Ajugwo, said the biometric card was developed against the backdrop of growing mobility and challenges around identity management and border security.