In Senegal, for example, the national identity card system is in the process of being computerised, which is revealing widespread problems with duplicate or triplicate birth registrations, as the system rejects people who apply with the same number birth certificate. Often, the person in possession of such a document may have been completely unaware that the birth certificate was not valid: they simply followed the understood procedure in paying a fee. At the Niaguis commune outside Ziguinchor in Casamance, all birth registration certificates issued during a certain period are now being replaced, creating major problems for those who had innocently obtained such documents. A person with a birth certificate from Niaguis who applies for an ID document or certificate of nationality has to go back to court to have the birth certificate cancelled or confirmed by the registrar (greffier); if it is in valid, the person will then need a jugement supplétif confirming the facts of birth and a new birth certificate; and then a certificate of nationality before getting their final identity document issued. Each stage of this process has fees attached. If the identity card itself is incorrectly issued, the person will need to travel to Dakar to get it sorted out. It can take months to complete the unravelling for those trapped in this situation; or they may never do so.132 Box 3: Weaknesses in nationality administration  Weak civil registration systems Birth registration is the foundation for nationality administration, but five West African countries have birth registration rates of less than 50%. Maintenance or reconstruction of archives (if destroyed in conflict) do not receive the priority they require.  Inaccessible, discriminatory or absent systems for proof of nationality Most identity documents in common use (national identity cards, electoral cards, passports…) are issued by relatively low-level administrative officials who have no training in nationality law. The civil law countries provide a partial remedy against discriminatory decisions at this level through the possibility of obtaining a certificate of nationality from a tribunal. The common law countries badly lack a similar procedure.  Naturalisation is only available to a very few The discretionary nature and heavy procedural requirements attached to naturalisation means that naturalisation is effective only available to a small elite. It easier for nationals of countries from outside the region to naturalise in an ECOWAS state than other ECOWAS citizens. Naturalisation is even inaccessible to long term refugees who cannot return home, or who have established their lives in the new country.  Costs can obstruct access to nationality documentation While official fees for birth registration, identity documents and nationality certification are mostly reasonable, they can still create barriers for the poorest people. The fees charged by intermediaries who facilitate applications, transport costs, and the many hours of lost time waiting for documents to be issued put them out of reach for many more. 132 Interviews, Ziguinchor, May 2014. 43