The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced plans to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) to replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) for Nigerians abroad.
Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, said the new document is part of the Service’s ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening identity management and border governance in line with global best practices.
She made the announcement during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes, co-hosted by Nigeria in collaboration with the Government of France. The meeting brought together key migration stakeholders, including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), ECOWAS, the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), and representatives from various African and European countries.
According to Nandap, the STEP initiative will serve as a secure and verifiable temporary travel document for Nigerians abroad whose passports have expired, been lost, or stolen. The document will be issued at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates and will be valid for a single entry into Nigeria.
“The forthcoming Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) will enable Nigerians abroad to return home safely in a secure and verifiable manner,”
Nandap stated, emphasizing that the initiative reflects the Service’s commitment to efficient service delivery and robust identity protection.
In her keynote address, titled “Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses,” the Comptroller-General also outlined the NIS’s broader reform agenda. These reforms, she explained, focus on combating migrant smuggling and human trafficking through enhanced border governance, improved migration management systems, capacity building, and stronger international cooperation.
Nandap reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional and global migration dialogues, noting that the Service will continue to align its policies and operations with international standards to promote safe, orderly, and regular migration across borders.
