The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced plans to introduce a new biometric travel document, the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP), aimed at assisting Nigerians abroad whose passports are expired, lost, or stolen to return home securely.
The announcement was made by the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes held in Abuja, co-hosted by Nigeria and the Government of France. This was confirmed in a statement released Wednesday by NIS Public Relations Officer, ACI Akinsola Akinlabi.
According to Nandap, the STEP will replace the current Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) as part of the Service’s ongoing reforms to strengthen identity management and border governance in line with global best practices.
“The STEP will serve as a temporary travel document for Nigerians abroad whose passports are expired, lost, or stolen, enabling them to return home in a secure and verifiable manner,” Nandap said. She added that the travel document will be issued at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad and will be valid for single entry only, reflecting the Service’s focus on efficiency and robust identity protection.
The meeting convened key stakeholders in migration management, including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NAPTIP, ECOWAS, AU, EU, and representatives from African and European countries. Discussions focused on enhancing collaboration to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking, emphasizing prevention, protection, and prosecution along regional migration routes.
In her keynote address, titled “Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses,” Nandap outlined NIS’s broader reform agenda to improve migration management systems, international cooperation, and capacity building.
“The Comptroller-General reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional and global migration dialogues, stressing that the Nigeria Immigration Service will continue aligning its policies and operations with international standards to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration across borders,” the statement added.
