FAAN’s cashless policy rollout sparks airport gridlock
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Passengers travelling through airports in Lagos and Abuja on Sunday were left stranded following the implementation of the Federal Government’s cashless payment policy at airport access gates, triggering massive gridlock, missed flights, and widespread frustration among travellers.
Many passengers narrated harrowing experiences as motorists struggled to comply with the newly enforced electronic payment system introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
While some travellers abandoned their vehicles at airport entrances due to difficulties completing payments, others said they missed scheduled flights after spending hours attempting to access the airports.
Passengers who spoke with The PUNCH lamented what they described as poor planning and inadequate infrastructure to support the transition to electronic payment collection.
A frequent flyer in Lagos, Adedeji Rilewan, said government agencies must balance reform with operational readiness. He added that he had to park his car at the airport entrance with his relatives to catch his flight.
“Nobody is against cashless payment, but you don’t introduce a system that prevents people from catching flights. Airports are time-sensitive environments. I had to park my car with my cousins at the gate to be able to catch my flight. As I speak with you now, I am sweating profusely,” he said.
Another passenger at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, who identified himself simply as Wale, said the situation was chaotic and unexpected.
“I left home very early, thinking I had enough time for my flight, only to get stuck at the airport gate for over an hour. The payment system was not working smoothly. People were confused, and nobody seemed to know what to do,” he said.
Recall that barely six months ago, FAAN had announced that all payments at its revenue points, including airport access gates, car parks, VIP lounges, and protocol services, would become fully electronic beginning September 2025.
The agency said the initiative was designed to modernise airport operations, promote transparency, and align Nigeria’s aviation sector with global digital standards.
However, enforcement remained largely dormant until February, when FAAN announced that the Federal Government had resolved to fully activate the cashless policy from March 1, 2026, as part of efforts to block revenue leakages.
Sunday’s enforcement marked the first full-scale implementation of the directive. Findings by The PUNCH revealed that airport users were required to obtain a dedicated FAAN electronic payment card, which must be registered, funded, and scanned at entry points.
Although some passengers attempted to pay using commercial bank ATM cards or Point-of-Sale terminals, many complained that the process was slow and repeatedly unsuccessful. The resulting delays created long queues of vehicles stretching several kilometres at airport entrances in both Lagos and Abuja.
Reacting to the development, FAAN’s spokesperson, Henry Agbebire, attributed the disruption to last-minute compliance by motorists despite months of public sensitisation.
“I think what happened was that we tried to publicise this as much as possible, but a lot of people waited till the last minute before getting their cards. The implementation of the cashless programme started today,” he said.
According to him, the agency had completely eliminated cash payments at airport toll gates, stating that FAAN had made provisions for card registration near airport entrances.
Agbebire said, “Nobody passed through the toll gate and paid cash today, and that led to traffic congestion because many people were registering on the spot to obtain cards.
“There is a canopy close to the toll gate where people can register. Those coming from Oshodi can cross over, while those approaching from the local airport end can drive into the aviation school area to get their cards.”
Agbebire insisted that card availability was not a challenge, adding that while POS payments were accepted, they slowed traffic flow.
The FAAN spokesman maintained that the cashless initiative was necessary to curb corruption and ensure transparency in revenue collection.
He said, “We don’t have a problem with cards. We have enough cards for people. The card is free. You only need to load it, maybe N1,000 or N2,000, and you can use it several times before reloading.
“We accept POS, but POS transactions slow down movement, so we encourage people to get the dedicated FAAN card. From tomorrow, more personnel in branded shirts will assist travellers with registration. The idea is to block leakages and align with the Federal Government directive that revenues must be collected electronically,” he said.
Also commenting on the development, Michael Achimugu of the NCAA, said the disruption was expected to ease once airport users obtained the payment cards. He expressed optimism that the system would soon become efficient.
“Due to the new FAAN cashless policy, vehicles passing through the tollgate are enduring some delays in order to get the card. If they do, the traffic situation would only be an inconvenience for today,” he said. “Going forward, it is expected to be more seamless than ever before. It also blocks corruption loopholes,” Achimugu added.
