their NINA identification card rejected, Malians now prohibited from entering Senegalese territory without the biometric card or passport

Malian nationals will now have to be content with one of two documents in this case, the biometric card or the passport to enter Senegal. A measure, according to our information, which came into force a week ago. Thus, the NINA card called the national identification card, which has been used just like the biometric card since the beginning of 2023 (date on which the last cited document began to be used in Mali), is no longer valid for Malian nationals.

Indeed, in Senegal, Malians could enter with the NINA card, passport or even the national biometric identification card. But the latter are now systematically rejected when reaching the Senegalese borders because they do not have their biometric card or their passport.

Apparently, the information is not held by most Malians. Several drivers and apprentices who returned to Senegal, having only their NINA card, cannot enter Senegal. Why have these measures not been widely communicated by the competent Senegalese authorities? A police authority contacted by telephone tells us that they have not yet received the information in question. “I’m not saying that the information is false, but I haven’t received it yet,” she tells us, reassuring that she will come back to us after verification.