The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has unveiled plans to introduce a new Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) to replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) for Nigerians stranded abroad.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, announced the initiative during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes, which Nigeria co-hosted in collaboration with the Government of France.
According to Nandap, the new document is part of the Service’s ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening identity management, improving border governance, and aligning Nigeria’s immigration systems with global best practices.
“The forthcoming Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) will enable Nigerians abroad to return home safely in a secure and verifiable manner,” Nandap stated.
“This initiative underscores our commitment to efficient service delivery and robust identity protection.”
The new passport will serve as a temporary, single-entry travel document for Nigerians overseas whose regular passports have been lost, stolen, or expired.
It will be issued exclusively at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates and will remain valid only for travel back to Nigeria.
Nandap explained that the move reflects the NIS’s broader modernization efforts, which include the adoption of digital identity solutions, improved data integrity, and enhanced cross-border coordination.
Delivering a keynote address titled “Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses,” Nandap also spoke about the Service’s wider reform agenda.
She said the NIS is intensifying efforts to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking by strengthening inter-agency collaboration, enhancing border surveillance systems, and building capacity among officers.
The Khartoum–Rabat–Niamey meeting brought together representatives of key migration stakeholders, including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), NAPTIP, ECOWAS, African Union (AU), European Union (EU), and delegates from African and European countries.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to regional and international migration dialogues, the NIS said it will continue to align its policies and operations with global standards to promote safe, orderly, and regular migration.
