Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has announced that the long-awaited Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) will officially be rolled out in January 2026.
He made the disclosure in Abuja on Friday during the launch of the ECOWAS biometric identity card. His announcement provides the first clear timeline for the introduction of the new document.
Earlier in the month, Kemi Nandap, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), revealed that STEP would replace the existing Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC). The ETC currently serves as a one-way travel document issued to Nigerians abroad who have misplaced their passports or become stranded, enabling them to return home.
Nandap said the new STEP system would offer a more secure and verifiable option for stranded citizens seeking repatriation, although she did not previously specify when the new document would become operational.
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Speaking on broader reforms within the ministry, Tunji-Ojo explained that the STEP is designed to simplify emergency travel procedures for Nigerians overseas.
“This initiative will enable Nigerians abroad who lose their passports to generate an emergency travel document using any mobile device without visiting an embassy,” he said.
The minister encouraged citizens to maintain confidence in government-led efforts to address national challenges and called for unified support for ongoing security and administrative reforms.
According to the NIS, the STEP will be valid for only one entry and is part of a wider reform agenda aimed at improving border governance, modernising identity management, and aligning Nigeria’s migration systems with global standards.
