Nigeria’s Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, has emerged as the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Heads of Immigration.
Nandap’s appointment was announced during the recent ECOWAS Heads of Immigration Forum held in Banjul, Gambia. The forum, which brought together representatives from 13 member states—excluding Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—focused on addressing migration and mobility challenges within the region.
The central theme of the forum was “Acceleration of the Implementation of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) and the Abolishment of the 90-Day Stay Limit/Residence Permits for Community Citizens.”
The ENBIC is designed to replace the existing ECOWAS Travel Certificate and Residence Permit, streamlining the movement, residency, and business operations across the region while safeguarding national security.
In her opening remarks, Nandap called on member states to fast-track the implementation of these policies, underscoring their importance in promoting regional integration and driving socio-economic development.
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“The abolition of the 90-day Stay Limit, along with the deployment of the ENBIC, will significantly strengthen Free Movement, Residence, and Establishment Rights for ECOWAS citizens,” she said.
While acknowledging the strides made so far, Nandap, also, highlighted current challenges such as Irregular Migration, Human Trafficking, and Border Security concerns, which have been exacerbated by expansive borders.
She called for a coordinated and harmonised approach to Border Management and immigration practices across the region to ensure both Security and the protection of Citizens’ Rights.
The workshop concluded with the adoption of a roadmap for the implementation of agreed pillars (8) to be progressively pursued in the realisation of the Act SA.1/7/14), being a decision of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government. The Forum agreed to work with the existing Border Management Thematic Working Group earlier established.
