Nigeria has recorded a major breakthrough in international travel security after successfully integrating its passport authentication system into the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Public Key Directory (PKD), a development expected to eliminate verification challenges previously encountered by some Nigerian passport holders at foreign borders.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in a statement by it national spokesperson, DCI Akinsola Akinlabi ,
announced on Wednesday that it had successfully imported all of Nigeria’s Country Signing Certificate Authorities (CSCAs) into the ICAO Public Key Directory, establishing a globally recognised chain of trust for the country’s electronic passports.
According to the statement, milestone was formalised during a ceremony held on Monday at the ICAO Headquarters in Montreal, Canada, where the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, led the Nigerian delegation.
The Service said the exercise was undertaken to resolve passive authentication issues experienced by some Nigerian passport holders at select international border control points, where the authenticity of travel documents could not always be digitally verified.
With the successful integration, Nigerian passports can now be authenticated seamlessly by border control systems in all ICAO Public Key Directory member states, significantly enhancing the credibility and international acceptance of the country’s travel documents.
The statement further added that the development is expected to improve border clearance procedures for Nigerian travellers while strengthening global confidence in the integrity of Nigeria’s passport system.
The NIS described the achievement as another milestone in its drive to modernise the country’s identity management architecture and deepen international cooperation on border security.
According to the Service, the integration aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to deploying technology-driven solutions to strengthen national security and improve service delivery.
It added that the successful import of Nigeria’s CSCAs into the ICAO PKD reaffirms the Service’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the Nigerian passport, enhancing interoperability with international border management systems and ensuring that holders of Nigerian passports enjoy faster and more seamless clearance at ports of entry across participating countries.
The Service pledged to sustain investments in digital identity infrastructure and global best practices aimed at strengthening the security, credibility and international recognition of Nigeria’s travel documents.
