The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the introduction of a hybrid access gate payment system at Nigerian airports and announced plans to engage concessionaires for the eventual deployment of a fully automated electronic payment arrangement.
The directive followed a meeting held on Tuesday between the Minister and officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), alongside senior officials of the ministry, to review the initial implementation of the system and the operational challenges observed.
The full cashless access gate payment system had earlier been suspended on the directive of the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, after it resulted in traffic gridlock at airport entry points.
According to a statement issued in Abuja by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the ministry resolved to engage concessionaires to introduce a fully automated or electronic payment system at all airport access gates in the country with the long-term objective of eliminating cash transactions.
Pending the deployment of the automated system, the ministry directed that a hybrid payment arrangement allowing both cash and card payments will resume at all airport access gates with effect from Friday, March 13, 2026.
The statement added that motorists who already possess the FAAN Go Cashless Cards may continue to use them until further notice.
It further noted that other electronic payment options, including Point of Sale (POS) terminals and other approved digital payment channels, will remain available.
Members of the public and road users were also encouraged to obtain and use the FAAN Go Cashless Card as the authority continues to enhance and fully optimise the cashless payment system.
The directive effectively restores the previous access gate payment arrangement while the ministry works towards implementing a fully automated electronic payment system at airports nationwide.
