The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced plans to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) to replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) as part of ongoing reforms to strengthen identity management and border governance in line with global best practices.
The Comptroller General of the NIS, Kemi Nanna Nandap, disclosed this while participating 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.
She explained that the high-level meeting brought together key stakeholders in migration management, including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI); the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP); representatives from ECOWAS, the African Union (AU), and the European Union (EU); as well as officials from various African and European countries.
Nandap stated that the forum sought to reinforce coordinated efforts on prevention, protection, and prosecution in response to migrant smuggling and human trafficking across African and European migration routes.
It also served as a platform for sharing best practices, harmonising legal frameworks, and fostering interagency cooperation.
The Comptroller General emphasised that collective and sustained action is essential to tackle the root causes of irregular migration, dismantle transnational criminal networks, and protect the rights of migrants and victims of human trafficking.
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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 aspects of the Service’s ongoing reform agenda.
This includes combating smuggling of migrants and human trafficking through enhanced border governance, improved migration management systems, capacity building, and strengthened international partnerships.
She further explained that the forthcoming Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) will serve as a temporary travel document for Nigerians abroad whose passports have expired, lost, or stolen, enabling them to return home safely and securely.
The new document will be issued at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad and will be valid for a single entry, underscoring the Service’s commitment to efficient service delivery and robust identity protection.
While reaffirming Nigeria’s dedication to regional and global migration dialogues, Nandap noted that the NIS would continue to align its policies and operations with international standards to promote safe, orderly, and regular migration across borders.