President Bola Tinubu has halted the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria’s (FAAN) new cashless toll policy, effective immediately.
Since its rollout, the system has been blamed for crippling traffic and frustrating bottlenecks at airport gateways. As commuters and stakeholders struggled to navigate the new payment hurdles, the President stepped in to alleviate the growing chaos and ensure a smoother travel experience.
The news was confirmed this Wednesday by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, who disclosed the decision while briefing State House correspondents after a FEC session presided over by President Tinubu.
Keyamo said the suspension followed widespread reports that the newly introduced cashless gates had led to massive gridlock, directly causing travelers to miss their flights across the country.
He noted that the shift was a strategic move by FAAN to phase out decades of cash payments in favor of a digital model designed to plug revenue leakages.
Keyamo further clarified the objective during the briefing:
“The first one has to do with the present cashless system we introduced at our toll gates across the country in order to eliminate corruption and optimise revenue for the Federal Government.
Highlighting the magnitude of the change, the Minister remarked:
“You recall that this practice had gone on for more than 50 years where operators of the toll gates collect cash from motorists at points of collection across the country, mostly at toll gates and other points like parking lots.”
However, he observed that the implementation quickly faltered. Less than seven days after its debut, the system began generating unprecedented traffic bottlenecks at major airport gateways, with the impact felt most acutely in the Lagos and Abuja metropolitan areas.
The Minister noted that President Tinubu, deeply concerned by the undue hardship inflicted on travelers, directed the immediate suspension of the system. The freeze will remain in effect until significant operational enhancements are implemented.
“Mr President was very concerned about the welfare of Nigerians and the fact that most Nigerians were losing their flights, missing their flights.
“So Mr President, out of empathy, directed today that we should suspend the present system because it creates a lot of gridlock and Nigerians are suffering as a result of it”, the Minister said.
Following a directive from the President, the Ministry and FAAN are temporarily reinstating manual payments while a superior electronic system is built. Minister Keyamo announced a “hybrid” phase to bridge the gap, accommodating both cash and existing prepaid cards.
“For those who have bought FAAN cards before, we can do a hybrid system whereby we can collect cash temporarily and, of course, use the cards that they have collected temporarily for now,” Keyamo stated.
The goal is a digital-first system that avoids the current bottlenecks.
The Minister stressed that the President’s timeline is tight; efficiency must return to airport gates immediately. While the vision remains a fully cashless environment, Keyamo argued that the current congestion is unacceptable.
“To the extent that it will not create the gridlock that we are having right now,” he insisted.
The government is now looking toward the private sector to manage these collections, prioritizing efficiency over commission costs.
“If we have to pay commission, we have to pay commission, but we will bring in private sector participants to help us devise a much more efficient payment system,” the Minister explained.
Keyamo maintained that this suspension is a “people-first” adjustment rather than a policy reversal. He reiterated that the President’s intervention was sparked by the visible struggles of commuters.
“The major reason why Mr. President took this decision is to eliminate the present gridlock we are experiencing, especially at the Lagos and Abuja toll gates leading to the airport,” he said, promising further briefings as the new solution takes shape.
