The Nigeria Immigration Service is preparing to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP), a new temporary document intended to replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate for Nigerians who need to return home after losing or damaging their passports abroad. Comptroller General Kemi Nanna Nandap outlined the plan at a recent policy meeting, describing STEP as part of a broader reform of identity management and migration control.
According to NIS communications, the STEP document will be a secure, verifiable single-entry passport issued through Nigerian embassies and consulates. It is designed for citizens whose passports are expired, lost, or stolen, and will be valid only for a one-way trip back to Nigeria. Nandap said the move is intended to align Nigerian practice with international norms on emergency travel and to support more reliable identification at the border.
A parallel announcement by the Ministry of Interior framed STEP as a digital-first service scheduled for rollout in January 2026. Officials say stranded citizens will be able to generate the emergency passport through an online platform, reducing the need to visit consular offices in person and shortening the time required to obtain travel clearance. The initiative is positioned as complementary to other digital identity upgrades, including contactless biometric passport applications and the new ECOWAS biometric ID card, with authorities arguing that the combined reforms will strengthen Nigeria’s migration systems and improve service delivery for the diaspora.
The STEP initiative follows Nigeria’s preparations to launch a national biometric ID card featuring fingerprint authentication and multiple digital wallets for various transactions.
Sources: NIS, Ecofin Agency, Travel and Tour World
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
