Nigeria immigration Service to launch single travel emergency passport for diasporans

NIGERIA Immigration Service (Nis) officials have announced plans to come to the assistance of diasporans by launching a single travel emergency passport (Step) that will enable them to travel if their passports are lost or expired.

An innovative plan designed to address the huge problem of diasporans being unable to fly back to Nigeria for emergencies at short notice, the new move will see the Nis introduce a new biometric travel document. To replace the current emergency travel certificate (ETC), this new document will enable users to fly to Nigeria and return back to their countries of abode.

Kemi Nandap, the Nis comptroller-general, unveiled the new initiative at the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat and Niamey Processes held in Abuja, which Nigeria co-hosted with France. She added that the introduction of Step is part of the Nis's ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening identity management and border governance frameworks in line with global best practices.

Ms Nandap said:  “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. This travel document will be issued at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad and valid only for single entry, reinforcing the service’s commitment to efficient service delivery and robust identity protection.”

Yesterday's meeting in Abuja brought together key stakeholders in migration management, including delegates from the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and representatives of the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the European Union. Also in attendance were representatives of several African and European countries.

This high-level forum focused on strengthening collaboration to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking, emphasising prevention, protection and prosecution across regional migration routes. In her keynote address, titled Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses, Ms Nandap outlined the Nis’s broader reform agenda aimed at enhancing migration management systems, international cooperation and capacity building.

Nis spokesman Akinsola Akinlabi, added: “The comptroller-general reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional and global migration dialogues, emphasising that the Nigeria Immigration Service will continue to align its policies and operations with international standards to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration across borders.”