NIS Launches Biometric Emergency Passport for Nigerians abroad

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced plans to launch a new biometric travel document known as the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) to assist Nigerians abroad whose passports have expired, been lost, or stolen.

The initiative, according to the NIS, aims to provide a secure and verifiable means for affected citizens to return home without compromising the country’s identity management or border governance systems.

The Comptroller-General of Immigration (CGI), Kemi Nanna Nandap, made this known during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes held in Abuja, which Nigeria co-hosted with the Government of France.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Service Public Relations Officer, ACI Akinsola Akinlabi.

Nandap explained that the newly introduced STEP will replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) as part of the Service’s ongoing reforms aimed at modernising immigration operations and aligning them with global standards.

“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,” she said.

She added that the document would be issued only at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad and would remain valid for a single entry into Nigeria.

“This reinforces the Service’s commitment to efficient service delivery and robust identity protection,” the CGI noted.

According to Nandap, the introduction of the STEP aligns with the NIS’s reform agenda focused on strengthening Identity Management and Border Governance frameworks in line with international best practices.

The CGI said the measure would enhance national security and ensure that returning Nigerians can be properly identified and documented.

“Our focus is on building a seamless migration management system that guarantees security while upholding the dignity of Nigerian citizens,” she said.

The high-level meeting brought together key stakeholders in migration management, including representatives of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), NAPTIP, ECOWAS, African Union (AU), European Union (EU), and several African and European countries.

Participants discussed strategies for combating migrant smuggling and human trafficking, focusing on the three pillars of prevention, protection, and prosecution along major African migration routes.

In her keynote address, titled “Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses,” Nandap emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to international cooperation in addressing irregular migration.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service will continue to align its policies and operations with international standards to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration across borders,” the statement quoted her as saying.

Nandap reaffirmed that the NIS remains a key player in regional and global migration dialogues, working with partner governments and international agencies to strengthen migration control, enhance capacity building, and promote safe mobility.

She said the Service would sustain collaborations that enhance intelligence sharing, improve law enforcement coordination, and protect vulnerable migrants.

“Nigeria is committed to fostering regional partnerships that prioritise human dignity, lawful mobility, and border security,” the Immigration boss added.