BATTIC Commissioning By President Tinubu – A fulfilment Of A Dream

By Ahmad Ibrahim

Recently, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commissioned the state of the art Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex (BATTIC) at the Nigerian Immigration Service headquarters in Abuja.

This transformative initiative and laudable developmental strides of the Ministry of interior and other sister organizations under the able leadership of the Honourable Minister of Interior, Mr Bunmi Tunji – Ojo is commendable and quite exemplary. It’s worthy to note that the organizations involved in this project jointly resolved to do away with any inter – ministerial rivalry of sort and delivered this world class project for the benefits of Nigerians.

The magnificent edifice named after the President is more than a building. It is rather a bold step in modernizing immigration infrastructure and a powerful tool in the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on-going efforts to safeguard the nation’s borders, manage migration effectively, enhance national security and to foster stronger ties within the ECOWAS region.

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This multifaceted complex comprising several critical components will play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s security and migration management. These components include: The Command and Control Centre for Regular Migration; The NIS Data Centre and Visa Approval Centre; The Interior Data Centre; The ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) Centre and the 4.1mw Solar Farm.

Each of these components has been meticulously designed to meet international standards, ensuring that Nigeria now not only catches up with global trends but becomes a leader in the management of migration data.
These are very good developments and a new dawn of migration management in Nigeria. Unfortunately over ten years ago before the coming of the present administration of President Tinubu, Nigeria which is seen as the giant of Africa, regrettably was not able to join other West African Countries in the implementation of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) project until now after six West African Countries have fully deployed the ENBIC as at June, 2024.

Nigerians are indeed grateful to the present administration for making this dream a reality. We also commend the vision and wisdom, the doggedness and absolute political will of President Tinubu and the Honourable Minister of Interior, Mr. Bunmi Tunji – Ojo for this remarkable achievement.

The ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) is a regional identity card for citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The ENBIC is replacing the ECOWAS Travel Certificate which is currently in use in the ECOWAS sub-region and it is only a travel document and requires a resident card after ninety days stay in these ECOWAS member countries while the ENBIC is now and will be use as a travel document and as a resident card for Nigerians currently residing in any of the ECOWAS member States.

The ECOWAS Forum has agreed to accelerate the implementation of the ENBIC along with the abolition of the ninety days stay limit. This will strengthen free movement, residence, and establishment rights for ECOWAS Citizens.

The implementation of the Biometric Smart Card is an ECOWAS obligation and was adopted in the year 2014 by the ECOWAS Heads of States and Governments. Senegal on the 4th October, 2016 became the first Country to start issuing the Cards, followed by Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Benin, The Gambia and Sierra Leone.

Despite the implementation of the ENBIC by these West African Countries, the ENBIC project has not been too successful and effective due to the lack of the presence and implementation of the ENBIC in Nigeria which has 60 to 70% ECOWAS Population but the recent commissioning and implementation of the ENBIC in Nigeria by President Tinubu is a watershed, a milestone and a welcome development in the ECOWAS Sub-Region. There is no doubt that this implementation by Nigeria will boost the morale of not only her citizens residing in these West African Countries but to all ECOWAS Citizens and other stakeholders as the resident card is been abolish in these ECOWAS Countries.

Ahmad Ibrahim is an International Security Printer and writes from No 50, Lokoja/Gwari Road, Kaduna, Kaduna State.