West Africa, known for its highly mobile population, has long allowed visa — free travel among member states of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas). However, the introduction of biometric identification systems, facial recognition cameras, and AI tools at borders is altering the landscape, raising concerns about migrants’rights. Philippa Osim Inyang, a researcher at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, recently published a study highlighting the risks associated with AI-driven border surveillance.
In the past decade, governments have increasingly turned to technology to enhance border security. Nigeria, for instance, has implemented biometric passports and national identification numbers with stored biometric data. AI systems analyze travel data to identify suspicious patterns, assisting authorities in detecting fraudulent documents or security threats. However, these advancements have also led to the creation of “digital borders, “where access to a country depends on data stored in digital databases.
European migration policy has played a significant role in this trend. The European Union’s migration externalization strategy has funded border control initiatives in west Africa, often presented as development assistance. Critics argue that this strategy shifts Europe’s border enforcement into Africa.
The impact of these technologies is evident in countries like Nigeria and Niger. Nigeria has introduced biometric and digital technologies into its immigration system, raising concerns about data collection, storage, and sharing. Niger, under pressure from the EU, adopted strict anti-smuggling laws and expanded surveillance of migration routes before repealing them in 2023, following a military coup.
Privacy concerns arise from the collection and storage of sensitive biometric data, which can be shared across multiple databases without migrants’knowledge. Algorithmic discrimination is another concern, as AI systems may rely on biased historical data, leading to unfair treatment. Digital border systems also risk undermining the Ecowas free movement regime if used to restrict mobility.
Existing laws, such as the 1979 Ecowas Protocol on Free Movement and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’Rights, were written before the rise of AI and biometric surveillance. Without updated regulations, governments may adopt powerful surveillance tools without adequate safeguards.
Ecowas has the opportunity to develop regional guidelines on AI and border governance, building on frameworks like the African Union’s Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the G20 AI Principles. This could include rules on data protection, transparency in algorithmic decision-making, and independent oversight of surveillance systems.
The question is not whether west Africa will adopt these technologies, but how they will be governed. The region is well placed to develop a model centered on human rights.
Source: Philippa Osim Inyang, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs
