The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has unveiled plans to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) a new biometric document aimed at helping Nigerians stranded abroad due to expired, lost, or stolen passports return home safely and verifiably.
Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, announced the initiative during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes, held in Abuja and co-hosted by Nigeria and France.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Service Public Relations Officer, ACI Akinsola Akinlabi, Nandap said the new document would replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) as part of ongoing reforms to strengthen Identity Management and Border Governance in line with global standards.
“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,” she said.
She explained that the biometric passport will be issued only at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad and will remain valid for a single entry into Nigeria. The new process, she added, underscores the Service’s commitment to efficient service delivery and robust identity protection.
The high-level meeting brought together stakeholders from across Africa and Europe, including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NAPTIP, ECOWAS, the African Union, the European Union, and other international partners.
Discussions focused on enhancing collaboration to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking, with emphasis on prevention, protection, and prosecution across regional migration routes.
In her keynote address titled “Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses,” Nandap reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening migration management systems, promoting international cooperation, and building institutional capacity.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service will continue to align its policies and operations with international standards to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration across borders,” the statement added.