The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has directed the introduction of a hybrid access gate payment system at airports across Nigeria following the earlier suspension of the full cashless system.
The directive was announced after the minister met with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and senior officials of the ministry in Abuja to review the operational challenges associated with the initial rollout of the cashless payment arrangement.
The full cashless system had earlier been suspended on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after it caused traffic gridlock at several airport access gates.
According to the ministry, the review meeting resolved to engage concessionaires to introduce a fully automated electronic payment system at airport access gates in the long term, with the goal of eventually eliminating cash payments.
However, pending the deployment of the fully automated system, the ministry approved a hybrid payment arrangement that allows both cash and electronic payments.
Under the directive, the hybrid system will resume at all airport access gates from Friday, March 13, 2026.
Motorists who already possess the FAAN Go Cashless Card are permitted to continue using the cards until further notice.
The ministry also confirmed that other electronic payment options, including POS terminals and approved digital payment channels, will remain available for motorists.
Members of the public and airport users were encouraged to obtain and use the FAAN Go Cashless Card as the authority continues efforts to improve and fully optimise the electronic payment system.
The ministry noted that the decision effectively restores the previous access gate payment arrangement while work continues toward implementing a fully automated system across Nigerian airports.
Tunde Moshood
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