BREAKING: President Tinubu Suspends Cashless Policy at Airports
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate suspension of the recently introduced cashless payment system at Nigerian airports following widespread complaints of traffic congestion and hardship for travellers.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the State House, Abuja, after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by the President.
Keyamo explained that the cashless system, introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), was designed to eliminate corruption and improve revenue collection by replacing cash payments at airport toll gates and parking points — a practice that had existed for over five decades.
However, less than a week after its rollout, the system reportedly caused severe gridlock around airport access roads, particularly in Lagos and Abuja, with long queues forcing many passengers to miss their flights.
“The President was very concerned about the welfare of Nigerians, especially those losing or missing their flights due to the congestion,” Keyamo said.
According to the minister, Tinubu ordered the immediate suspension of the policy pending a review and improvements to prevent further disruption.
“So Mr President, out of empathy, directed today that we should suspend the present system because it creates a lot of gridlock and Nigerians are suffering as a result,” he added.
Keyamo said the ministry and FAAN have been instructed to temporarily revert to the previous payment arrangement while developing a more efficient electronic solution.
He noted that a temporary hybrid system would be introduced, allowing both cash payments and the continued use of prepaid FAAN cards already purchased by motorists.
The minister added that the Federal Government would engage private sector partners to design a more seamless electronic payment platform that would eliminate cash transactions without causing delays.
“If we have to pay commission, we have to pay commission, but we will bring in private sector participants to help us devise a much more efficient payment system,” Keyamo said.
He stressed that the suspension should not be interpreted as a permanent return to cash payments but rather a temporary measure aimed at easing the current congestion.
Tinubu, he added, remains committed to a fully electronic revenue collection system at airports, provided it does not create the kind of bottlenecks currently experienced.
Keyamo assured that further consultations would be held with FAAN and that updates would be provided as efforts continue to develop a more efficient and seamless payment system for airport users.
