The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced plans to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) to assist Nigerians abroad whose passports are lost, stolen, or expired, enabling them to return home securely.
The STEP will replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) and will be issued at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad.
The announcement was made by the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes, organized and co-hosted by Nigeria in collaboration with the Government of France.
The disclosure was contained in a statement signed by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, ACI Akinlabi, on Wednesday.
According to Nandap, the STEP passport will be valid for single-entry travel, providing secure and verifiable identification for Nigerians returning home. The initiative forms part of NIS’s broader reforms to strengthen border governance, enhance identity management, and align operations with international migration standards.
“The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, pcc, mmis, fsmn, participated in the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat and Niamey Processes, organised and co-hosted by Nigeria in collaboration with the Government of France. While speaking at the meeting, she announced that the Nigeria Immigration Service is set to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) to replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC),” the statement read in part.
It added, “The CGI explained that the forthcoming Single Travel Emergency Passport (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 noted that the travel document will be issued at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad and valid only for single entry, reinforcing the Service’s commitment to efficient service delivery and robust identity protection.”
The statement noted that the meeting brought together 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, AU, and European representatives, to combat migrant smuggling and protect vulnerable migrants.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has recently rolled out several initiatives aimed at modernizing and improving immigration services.
Additionally, a centralized passport personalization system was introduced in September 2025, capable of producing up to 5,000 passports daily, a significant increase from the previous 250–300, enabling applicants to receive passports within four to five hours.