ECOWAS Launches Biometric Card to Boost Regional Travel

The ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) was launched to promote free and safe movement and trade among ECOWAS citizens. It costs N35,000 and aims to support the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

During a media sensitization workshop in Lagos, stakeholders, including Mr. Obinna Ajugwo, the ECOWAS Director of Free Movement of Persons, Migration, and Tourism, highlighted that the ENBIC is crucial for regional integration and identity management. Ajugwo stated that the card symbolizes belonging and inclusion, facilitating the right to free movement, strengthening border management, enhancing security cooperation, and promoting economic and social integration.

He emphasized that the initiative's success relies on public trust and accurate information dissemination. Ali Ali Ibrahim, Head of the International Organisation for Migration Sub-office in Lagos, also acknowledged the importance of the ENBIC in migration governance and regional cooperation.