The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has unveiled plans to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) aimed at modernising travel documentation and improving border management for Nigerians abroad.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, announced the initiative during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes, co-hosted by Nigeria and France.
According to a statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, STEP will replace the current Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) and function as a temporary, single-entry travel document for Nigerians whose passports are lost, stolen, or expired, facilitating a safe return home.
Nandap explained that the document would be issued through designated Nigerian embassies and consulates, forming part of broader reforms to modernise migration systems and improve service delivery.
“The initiative reinforces our commitment to secure identity management, efficient consular support, and strengthened border governance,” she stated.
In a keynote titled “Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses: The Nigeria Immigration Service Perspective,” Nandap outlined ongoing measures to curb irregular migration, enhance border security, and strengthen international cooperation against migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
She reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to regional and global platforms addressing migration, highlighting efforts to align NIS policies and operations with international best practices to ensure safe and orderly migration.
The meeting convened key stakeholders in migration governance, including representatives from the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), ECOWAS, African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), and participating African and European countries.
Discussions focused on enhancing collaborative prevention, protection, and prosecution strategies to tackle migrant smuggling and human trafficking across major African and European migration corridors.
STEP is expected to significantly improve the efficiency of emergency travel for Nigerians abroad while supporting the country’s broader migration management reforms.