Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, disclosed this during the Joint Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes, co-hosted by Nigeria and the Government of France.
According to a statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, on Wednesday in Abuja, the new document will replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC).
Nandap explained that STEP would serve as a temporary, single-entry travel document for Nigerians abroad whose passports have expired, been lost, or stolen—allowing them to return home securely and through a verifiable system.
She said the STEP initiative would be issued at designated Nigerian embassies and consulates, forming part of the Service’s ongoing reform agenda to modernize migration systems and improve service delivery.
“This initiative aligns with the Service’s commitment to robust identity protection, efficient consular support, and enhanced border management capabilities,” Nandap stated.
Delivering a keynote address titled “Insights on Prevention and Protection as Strategic Pillars to Effective Law Enforcement and Prosecution Responses: The NIS Perspective,” the Comptroller-General outlined ongoing reforms aimed at combating irregular migration, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking.
She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional and global migration dialogue platforms and emphasized that the NIS would continue to align its policies with international best practices to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration.
The meeting brought together major stakeholders in migration governance, including representatives of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), NAPTIP, ECOWAS, African Union (AU), European Union (EU), and other African and European nations.
Discussions focused on strengthening coordinated strategies for prevention, protection, and prosecution in combating migrant smuggling and human trafficking across key African and European migration routes.
