Nigeria has adopted the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) e-passport verification system, enabling Nigerian electronic passports to be authenticated more seamlessly at border control points across ICAO Public Key Directory (PKD) member states. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) disclosed the development in a press statement issued on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
The move followed the successful import of all of Nigeria’s Country Signing Certificate Authorities (CSCAs) into the ICAO PKD, establishing the digital chain of trust required for foreign border control systems to verify the authenticity of Nigerian e-passports. What they are saying
According to the NIS, the successful import of all of Nigeria’s existing CSCAs into the ICAO PKD was completed during a ceremony held on Monday, July 13, 2026, at the ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada. The exercise, led by the Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, was undertaken to resolve the passive authentication challenges experienced by some Nigerian passport holders at select foreign border control points. The Service said the completion of the process means Nigerian e-passports can now be authenticated seamlessly by border control systems in all ICAO PKD member states. “With the completion of the import process of all Nigeria’s existing CSCAs on the ICAO Public Key Directory to establish a chain of trust, Nigerian Passports can now be verified seamlessly by border control systems in all ICAO PKD member states,” the statement read in part.
The NIS said the milestone reflects its continued investment in secure digital identity management and international border security cooperation in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda. It added that the development reinforces its commitment to strengthening the integrity of Nigeria’s travel documents, promoting global interoperability, and enabling seamless border clearance for holders of Nigerian passports.
What you should know
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Public Key Directory (PKD) is a centralized platform that enables countries to securely exchange the digital certificates required to authenticate electronic passports (e-passports) at border control points. Instead of relying on bilateral exchanges of passport verification data between individual countries, the ICAO PKD allows participating states to upload their own information and download that of other members through a single system. This ensures the information meets ICAO’s technical standards, supports global interoperability, and can be exchanged reliably and continuously. The ICAO website shows that the PKD has more than 100 participants worldwide. With Nigeria’s Country Signing Certificate Authorities (CSCAs) now uploaded to the directory, border authorities across participating member states can seamlessly verify the authenticity of Nigerian e-passports, improving border security and facilitating smoother international travel.
