Nigeria set to introduce single travel emergency passport for citizens abroad
Federal Government unveils new initiative for safer and faster emergency travel
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to launch a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) to replace the current Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC). The new initiative aims to simplify the process for Nigerians stranded abroad due to lost, stolen, or expired passports, allowing them to return home more securely and efficiently.
Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap, disclosed this development during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes, which was co-hosted by Nigeria and the Government of France. The event brought together key stakeholders from Africa and Europe to discuss migration management and security collaboration.
STEP to replace ETC for stranded Nigerians abroad
According to the NIS Public Relations Officer, ACI Akinsola Akinlabi, the new Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) will serve as a temporary and verifiable travel document for Nigerians abroad. It will be issued to citizens whose passports are lost, stolen, or expired, allowing them to return home safely without facing lengthy bureaucratic delays.
Nandap explained that the STEP will be available at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates around the world. Each document will be valid for a single entry into Nigeria only, ensuring it is used solely for repatriation purposes. This measure, she said, reinforces the government’s commitment to secure identity management and efficient service delivery.
Strengthening identity protection and border governance
The introduction of STEP is part of the broader reform efforts of the Nigeria Immigration Service to modernize its operations and enhance border governance. The NIS has been implementing a series of initiatives aimed at aligning Nigeria’s migration management systems with global best practices.
According to Nandap, this new approach not only improves the travel experience for Nigerians abroad but also strengthens the country’s ability to verify identities and prevent fraudulent travel documentation. By leveraging digital verification tools, the NIS seeks to create a more transparent and accountable process for handling emergency travel cases.
Stakeholders unite to tackle migration challenges
The high-level meeting that unveiled the initiative gathered representatives from key migration-related agencies, including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), and international organizations such as the ECOWAS, African Union (AU), and European Union (EU).
Discussions at the forum centered on improving cooperation and coordination in tackling migrant smuggling and human trafficking across African and European migration routes. Participants emphasized the importance of joint prevention, protection, and prosecution strategies to combat irregular migration and related transnational crimes.
Focus on protection and law enforcement collaboration
Delivering her keynote address titled “Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses: The Nigeria Immigration Service Perspective,” Nandap highlighted the NIS’s commitment to strengthening border controls and promoting safe migration.
She stated that the Service’s reform agenda focuses on capacity building, inter-agency collaboration, and the use of modern technology to track and manage migration flows effectively. These reforms are intended to reduce incidents of human trafficking and migrant smuggling, ensuring that Nigeria’s borders remain secure and well-governed.
Nigeria reaffirms commitment to global migration standards
In her concluding remarks, the Comptroller General reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to active participation in regional and global migration dialogues. She emphasized that the NIS will continue aligning its policies with international migration standards, ensuring safe, orderly, and regular cross-border movements.
Through the launch of the Single Travel Emergency Passport, Nigeria is taking a significant step toward improving citizens’ welfare abroad, enhancing national security, and reinforcing its global standing in migration management.
