The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced plans to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP), a new biometric document designed to assist Nigerians abroad whose passports have expired, been lost, or stolen to return home safely and securely.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, made this known during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes held in Abuja, which Nigeria co-hosted with the Government of France.
According to a statement issued by the Service Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, the STEP will replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) as part of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening identity management and border governance in line with global standards.
Nandap explained that the new passport will serve as a temporary, single-entry travel document for Nigerians abroad, enabling them to return home in a secure and verifiable manner.
She added that the passport would be issued only at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates, reinforcing the Service’s commitment to efficient service delivery and robust identity protection.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders in migration management, including representatives of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NAPTIP, ECOWAS, the African Union, the European Union, and delegates from several African and European countries.
In her keynote address titled “Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses,” Nandap also outlined broader NIS reforms focused on migration management, international cooperation, and capacity building.
She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional and global migration dialogues, emphasizing that the NIS would continue to align its operations with international best practices to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration across borders.
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