The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced plans to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP), a new biometric travel document designed to help Nigerians abroad whose passports are expired, lost, or stolen return home securely and verifiably.
Replacing the ETC
Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, disclosed the initiative 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 new STEP document will replace the current Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) as part of NIS’s ongoing reforms “aimed at strengthening Identity Management and Border Governance frameworks in line with global best practices.”
Security and Service Details
CGI Nandap explained that the STEP will serve as a temporary travel document for Nigerians abroad, enabling them to return home in a secure and verifiable manner.
- Issuance: The document will be issued at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates abroad.
- Validity: It will be valid only for single entry, reinforcing the Service’s commitment to efficient service delivery and robust identity protection.
High-Level Migration Focus
The meeting, where Nandap outlined the Service’s broader reform agenda, brought together key stakeholders in migration management, including NAPTIP, ECOWAS, AU, EU, and representatives of African and European countries.
The high-level forum focused on strengthening collaboration to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking, emphasizing prevention, protection, and prosecution across regional migration routes. The NIS remains committed to aligning its policies and operations with international standards to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration across borders.
Source: Punch Online
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