As part of efforts to block revenue leakages and promote uninterrupted airport operations, the Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, has launched a “go-cashless” policy at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The initiative comes as FAAN intensifies efforts to improve operational efficiency and accountability across its airports, in line with the Federal Government’s broader digitalisation drive in the aviation and transport sectors.
Recall that the policy, which took off on September 29, 2025, marks the beginning of FAAN’s plan to phase out physical cash payments at all its revenue points, including access gates, car parks, and VIP lounges, by the first quarter of 2026.
According to Kuku sthe initiative would eliminate delays caused by cash handling, strengthen transparency, and enhance passenger experience at airports nationwide.
READ ALSO: Ogun Announces Date For Airports Operations, As Value Jets Will Begins Inaugural Flights
Kuku, who was represented at the launch by the Director of Commercial and Business Development, Ms Adebola Agunbiade, said the transition to electronic payments would also improve accountability and increase the agency’s internally generated revenue.
“Effective September 29, 2025, we have started phasing out physical cash at all FAAN revenue points. The benefits are clear: faster processing, smoother passenger flow, and enhanced security since you no longer need to carry large amounts of cash.
“For FAAN and the nation, it means optimised revenue collection, significantly reduced leakage, and a robust financial accountability system.
We have begun this rollout strategically, starting with the access gates and lounges at the beginning, and subsequently, to all FAAN-managed airports across the country,” she said.
Kuku, who said that the first phase of the project focuses on access gates and lounges, with plans to extend to all FAAN-managed airports across the country in the coming months, also disclosed that the authority targets a 50 per cent increase in revenue during the pilot phase and expects to record up to 100 per cent growth when the cashless system becomes fully operational.
“The card is being activated for only FAAN-managed revenue points, and within this first pilot phase, we expect to increase our revenue by 50 per cent. By the time we go fully cashless, we expect to be doing between 75 per cent and 100 per cent growth on the revenue we currently do today. Everybody sees our figures; they are not hidden. What we are trying to do is to ensure that we are collecting 100 per cent of all the revenue for the federal government.
“Today, between Lagos and Abuja, we have about 300,000 motorists who go through our access gates monthly. That alone gives a sense of the revenue potential. With this system, we expect to double what we currently generate once the rollout is completed,” she said.
According to Kuku, by the end of the first quarter of 2026, FAAN aims to completely eliminate cash transactions at all its facilities, describing the move as part of the authority’s commitment to modernising Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure and aligning with global best practices.
“We have given ourselves a target of six months. By Q1 next year, we will have totally phased out cash collections within the airport,” FAAN boss said
