By Palma Ileye
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening regional migration cooperation and border management among Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member countries.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, in a press release issued on Saturday by the Service Public Relations Officer, DCI Akinsola Akinlabi, gave the assurance at the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA) Heads of Immigration Forum held from November 3 to 4, 2026, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The forum, which had the theme, “From Policy to Practice: Deepening Regional Integration through Harmonized Migration and Border Management in ECOWAS,” brought together Heads of Immigration from 12 ECOWAS member states, representatives of the ECOWAS Commission and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Discussions at the meeting focused on the implementation of ECOWAS Free Movement and Trade Protocols, particularly the adoption of an Integrated Border Management (IBM) system and effective deployment of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC).
Nandap, while reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to regional integration, highlighted reforms introduced by the NIS to strengthen migration management and facilitate cooperation among member states.
She disclosed that Nigeria had made progress in implementing the ENBIC through its locally developed Border Control and Immigration Management System (BCIMS), which supports border operations, migration management and data administration.
According to her, mobile verification devices connected to the BCIMS are being deployed at border crossing points, while the issuance of the biometric identity card to Nigerians in the diaspora is also ongoing.
The CGI stressed the need to strike a balance between facilitating legitimate migration and maintaining effective security, noting that security remained fundamental to sustainable national and regional development.
The forum also reviewed recommendations from reports presented by Ministers of Interior and the MIDWA Thematic Working Groups, while Heads of Immigration shared experiences on their respective countries’ progress in implementing the ENBIC.
Participants identified the lack of uniform acceptance of the biometric card across some member states as one of the major challenges affecting its implementation.
They consequently called on the ECOWAS Commission and member states to engage transport operators and formally communicate the recognition and acceptance of the ENBIC as a valid travel document across the West African region.
The meeting also featured a presentation by the IOM titled, “Contextualising an Integrated Border Governance Approach for West Africa,” which highlighted the need to view borders as interconnected systems that safeguard national sovereignty while promoting mobility, economic opportunities and mutual trust.
At the end of the deliberations, Heads of Immigration, the ECOWAS Commission and the IOM unanimously adopted and signed the Freetown Declaration, which contains resolutions and commitments reached at the forum.
The declaration set January 1, 2027, as the target date for implementing the agreed resolutions.
The NIS in the statement said the Service remained committed to strengthening regional partnerships, harmonising migration policies and deepening integrated border governance to ensure secure borders and facilitate legitimate movement across the ECOWAS region.
