The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will begin a hybrid payment system that allows both cash and electronic payments at airport access gates nationwide from March 13.
The decision followed the suspension of the previously introduced fully cashless system after it triggered traffic congestion at several airports.
According to a statement issued by Tunde Moshood, the directive to suspend the cashless arrangement was given by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Following the directive, Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development instructed FAAN to revert to the earlier payment arrangement while reviewing the challenges encountered during the initial rollout.
Moshood said the minister subsequently held a meeting with officials of FAAN and senior ministry personnel to evaluate the operational issues that emerged after the system was introduced.
He explained that the government plans to engage concessionaires to develop a fully automated electronic payment system for airport access gates in the future.
However, he said that in the interim, a hybrid arrangement that accommodates both cash and card payments will be adopted across all airport gates.
Motorists who already possess the FAAN Go Cashless Card will continue to use it, while other electronic payment channels such as point-of-sale terminals and approved digital platforms will also remain available.
The ministry encouraged members of the public and motorists using airport roads to obtain the FAAN Go Cashless Card as the authority continues efforts to fully optimise the electronic payment system.
Earlier, Keyamo had said the ministry would review the first seven days of the cashless policy’s implementation to address operational challenges, eliminate corruption, and improve revenue generation at airport facilities.