Niger: The AES passport officially enters service on September 15th

Niger is turning a new page in its travel documents. Starting September 15, 2026, the country will launch mass enrollment for the biometric passport of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), replacing the ECOWAS passport.

The issuance of old ECOWAS passports will end after the registration deadline of September 10. However, passports already issued will not be cancelled and will remain valid until their expiration date.

The new ordinary passport will cost 45,000 FCFA, compared to 35,850 FCFA for the old model. For minors and students, the price increases to 29,750 FCFA, up from 23,950 FCFA previously.

For a renewal, the old passport must be presented. In case of loss, a police report will be required.

This change is part of the gradual implementation of the common instruments of the ESA between Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The new document is intended, in particular, to harmonize travel documents across the three countries and strengthen security measures against counterfeiting.

The first passports were issued to several high-ranking Nigerien officials as part of the pilot phase. With mass enrollment, the new passport should now be progressively made available to all eligible citizens.

Yolande Bazié