Nigeria Immigration Service unveils new Single Travel Emergency Passport for stranded Nigerians abroad.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has unveiled plans to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP).
This is a new biometric document designed to assist Nigerians abroad whose passports have expired, been lost, or stolen, to return home safely.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, made this announcement during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes held in Abuja, co-hosted by Nigeria and the Government of France.
In a statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, ACI Akinsola Akinlabi, Nandap explains that the STEP will replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) as part of ongoing reforms to enhance identity management and border governance in line with international 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 further noted that the STEP will be issued only at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates and will be valid for a single entry into Nigeria, underscoring the Service’s commitment to efficient service delivery and identity protection.
The Abuja meeting brought together key migration stakeholders, including representatives from the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NAPTIP, ECOWAS, African Union, European Union, and officials from various African and European countries.
Discussions focused on strengthening international collaboration to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking, with emphasis on prevention, protection, and prosecution across major migration routes.
Delivering a keynote address titled “Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses,” Nandap reiterated the NIS’s dedication to reforms that promote migration management, international cooperation, and capacity building.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to aligning its policies and operations with international standards to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration across borders,” she affirmed.
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