The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced plans to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) as part of its reforms to modernize identity management and border governance in line with global best practices.
Comptroller-General of Immigration Kemi Nanna Nandap revealed the initiative during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes held in Abuja. She said the STEP will replace the current Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) and serve as a temporary biometric passport for Nigerians abroad whose passports are expired, lost, or stolen.
According to a statement by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, ACI Akinsola Akinlabi, the document will be issued at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates and will be valid for single entry only.
“The 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,” the statement read.
Akinlabi noted that the new travel document reinforces the service’s commitment to efficient service delivery and robust identity protection.
