Sunday Okobi
International Organisation for Migrants (IOM), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), as well as other stakeholders in the West African region, including, mainly, ECOWAS, have enumerated the huge benefits of the newly launched ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC).
According to them, ENBIC will enhance free and safe movement and trade for ECOWAS citizens, as well as having the legal rights to live freely in any member state of the sub-region of Africa.
The ENBIC, which will cost N35,000 to acquire, will help realise the objectives of the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, and national efforts to strengthen migration governance and regional cooperation.
At a media sensitisation workshop in Lagos yesterday, the stakeholders called for increased awareness of how the ENBIC will build public trust and ensure Nigerians have a clear understanding of how the travel document works.
In his speech, the ECOWAS Director of Free Movement of Persons, Migration, and Tourism, Mr. Obinna Ajugwo, stated that ENBIC, which is one of the ECOWAS visions of free movement, is one of the cornerstones of the regional integration agenda.
He said:“Since the adoption of the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, we have made significant progress in facilitating mobility across our Member States.”
“However, as mobility increases, so do the challenges associated with identity management, irregular migration, and cross-border crime.
“It is within this context that the ECOWAS Biometric Identity Card was conceived and endorsed by our Heads of State and Government.
“The ENBIC is not just a card. It is a symbol of belonging. It is a tool for inclusion. And most importantly, it is an enabler of safe, secure, and efficient movement across our region.
“By providing a reliable and harmonized system of identification, the ENBIC will: facilitate the exercise of the right to free movement; strengthen border management systems; enhance security cooperation among Member States; and promote economic and social integration.”
However, Ajugwo noted that the success of the initiative does not depend solely on technology or policy frameworks; rather, “it depends on people. It depends on trust and information.”
While calling on the media to intensify awareness for ENBIC, the ECOWAS director stressed that: “You are the bridge between institutions and our community citizens. You shape public understanding, influence perception, and help build confidence in initiatives such as ENBIC. In an era where misinformation can spread rapidly, your responsibility to provide accurate, balanced, and well-informed reporting has never been more important.
“This workshop, therefore, is not just an information session; it is a partnership-building platform.”
In his remarks, the Head of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Sub-office, Lagos, Ali Ali Ibrahim, while appreciating the ECOWAS Commission and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly the NIS, for their steadfast commitment to advancing regional integration and facilitating lawful mobility across West Africa, added that the ENBIC initiative is firmly aligned with the vision of the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Residence and Establishment, and also contributes to broader international and national commitments.
He said: “It supports the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), particularly those relating to strengthening identity systems, improving regular migration pathways, enhancing border management, and promoting regional cooperation for safe, orderly, and regular mobility.
“At the national level, initiatives such as ENBIC complement Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen migration governance, identity management, border governance, and regional cooperation mechanisms. By enhancing identity assurance and facilitating the movement of legitimate travellers, ENBIC contributes to a more efficient, secure, and integrated mobility framework.
“Today’s workshop further contributes to achieving the objectives of these policy frameworks by strengthening public awareness, fostering stakeholder engagement, and promoting an informed understanding of the opportunities and responsibilities associated with free movement within the ECOWAS region.”
Ibrahim noted further that the success of ENBIC would ultimately not be measured 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.
“I therefore, encourage all stakeholders represented here today to continue working together towards a future where mobility within West Africa is secure, orderly, rights-based, and beneficial to all,” Ibrahim concluded.
In his opening remarks, the Assistant Comptroller General (Passports and Other Travel Documents),NIS), ACG T. O. Olaiya, said that under the visionary leadership of the NIS Comptroller-General, the adoption and deployment of the ENBIC represent a watershed moment in the trajectory of regional integration.
According to her, “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.
“However, an identity and mobility project of this magnitude cannot succeed in a vacuum. The media remains our most critical bridge to the public. Accurate information dissemination is essential to educate our citizens on what the ENBIC is, its eligibility criteria, and how it simplifies cross-border travel. “Misinformation at points of entry benefits no one, and that is why your role as journalists and media influencers is indispensable to the acceptability and success of this project.
“Finally, we hope that today’s robust agenda will equip you with the right operational insights and narratives to guide the public accurately.