The Niger has taken a major step in deploying the regional biometric passport of the Confédération des États du Sahel (AES). On Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Presidential Palace in Niamey, President Abdourahamane Tiani was enrolled for this new travel document, according to Nigerien authorities.

This operation comes a few months after the enrollment for the biometric card, which was carried out on March 27 last year. According to the authorities, this passport responds to common technical standards adopted by AES member states in order to offer a more secure and harmonized travel document. The Niger becomes thus the third country of the Confederation to engage its deployment, after Burkina Faso and Mali.

A Gradual Deployment in the Three Countries of AES

According to information communicated by Nigerien authorities, this new biometric passport is intended to allow citizens to have identity and travel documents conforming to technical specifications set by AES member states during a meeting held in Bamako last October.

The Burkina Faso had opened the way by launching officially this passport on January 29, 2025, after the enrollment of President Ibrahim Traoré. The authorities burkinabè then presented this initiative as « an important step » of cooperation between the member states.

The deployment of this document was announced in Mali on October 27, 2025 with the launch of the « e-Passeport AES secured » and the resumption of its production by competent services.

With the enrollment of President Tiani, the three countries currently composing today the Confederation have now engaged the deployment of this passport.

A Harmonized Document at a Confederal Level

The authorities of Niger indicate that this biometric passport has for objective to provide citizens with a document responding to security standards defined at the level of the Confederation. It should also facilitate the harmonization of travel documents issued by the administrations of the three member states.

According to Nigerien officials, this operation constitutes a new phase in the deployment of common biometric documents after that of the national biometric card.

For reference, the Confederation of States of the Sahel had announced the official circulation of its passport biometric on January 29, 2025. The authorities had then specified that old passports carrying the CEDEAO logo remained valid until their expiration date. Their replacement by the new AES passport must take place gradually, in accordance with procedures provided for each country.

Created in 2024, the Confederation of States of the Sahel reunites Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Since its creation, the three states work on establishing several common devices, including the harmonization of certain administrative and travel documents destined for their citizens.