President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of the cashless payment policy recently introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at airport gates nationwide, following widespread traffic congestion and complaints from air travelers.
The directive was announced after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
According to Keyamo, the President’s decision was driven by concerns over the hardship faced by members of the public since the policy took effect earlier in the week.
The cashless system, which required motorists to pay airport access fees electronically, reportedly led to long queues at airport entrances, causing significant traffic buildup and resulting in some passengers missing scheduled flights.
“Mr. President gave the directive out of compassion for members of the public who are missing their flights and spending long periods in traffic,” the minister said.
Tinubu further directed that a more seamless and efficient system be developed promptly to eliminate the use of cash for airport access payments without disrupting traffic flow.
He also advised that a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement be explored to support the development and deployment of the improved system.
Following the President’s directive, Keyamo said he has instructed FAAN to immediately revert to the previous payment system. However, travelers who have already obtained and loaded payment cards under the suspended policy will still be allowed to use them.
The minister explained that this temporary hybrid arrangement, allowing both cash and card payments, will remain in place until a new, more efficient system is introduced.
