The Niger has taken a major step towards deploying the regional biometric passport of the Sahel Conference of States (AES). On Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Presidential Palace in Niamey, President Abdourahamane Tiani registered for this new travel document, according to Nigerien authorities.
This operation comes a few months after the registration for the biometric card, which was completed on March 27 last year. According to authorities, this passport responds to common technical standards adopted by the member states of the AES in order to offer a more secure and harmonized travel document.
Progressive Deployment in Three AES Countries
According to Nigerian authorities, this biometric passport is intended to provide citizens with identification and travel documents conforming to the technical specifications set by the three AES countries during a meeting held in Bamako last October.
The Burkina Faso had opened the way by launching this passport officially on January 29, 2025, after President Ibrahim Traoré registered for it. The Burkinabé authorities had then presented this initiative as « an important step » in cooperation between the member states.
In Mali, the launch of the document was announced on October 27 last year with the introduction of the « e-Passport AES secure » and the resumption of its production by competent services.
With President Tiani’s registration, the three countries currently part of the Conference have now engaged in deploying this passport.
A Harmonized Passport at the Conferential Level
Nigerian authorities indicate that this biometric passport has as its goal to provide citizens with a document responding to the security standards set by the Conference. It also aims to facilitate the harmonization of travel titles issued by the administrations of the three member states.
According to Nigerian officials, this operation is part of a new phase in deploying common documents after that of the national biometric card.
Recalling that the Sahel Conference of States had announced the official circulation of its passport on January 29, 2025. The authorities had then specified that the old national passports bearing the CEDEAO logo would remain valid until their expiration date. Their replacement by the new AES passport must be done progressively, in line with procedures set for each country.
Created in 2024, the Sahel Conference of States brings together Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Since its creation, the three countries work on implementing several common devices, including the harmonization of certain administrative documents and travel documents destined for their citizens.
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