President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of the newly introduced cashless payment system at airports nationwide following widespread traffic gridlock and delays experienced by travellers.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the directive on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the State House, Abuja, and presided over by the President. Pls
According to Keyamo, the cashless policy — introduced to curb corruption and enhance transparency in revenue collection — instead led to severe congestion, particularly at the Lagos and Abuja airports.
“The idea behind introducing a cashless system was to eliminate corruption at the airports,” the minister said. “However, its implementation created significant gridlock, and Nigerians have suffered delays as a result.”
He explained that President Tinubu directed an immediate return to the previous payment arrangement pending improvements to the system.
“Mr President has directed that we suspend the current system because it is causing congestion. He said we should revert to the status quo while we perfect the platform properly,” Keyamo stated.
The President also instructed that the review of the electronic payment platform be carried out urgently, with greater private sector engagement to ensure a seamless process that does not disrupt passenger movement.
“The President said we should work with the private sector to develop a more efficient electronic system that can collect revenue without causing delays,” the minister added.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had commenced implementation of the cashless policy on March 1, barring cash payments at airport toll gates and requiring motorists to use prepaid access cards or electronic payment channels.
However, the rollout resulted in long queues at toll points, with some passengers reportedly missing flights due to extended waiting times.
Keyamo assured that consultations with FAAN and other stakeholders would continue to ensure a smoother and more efficient payment system going forward.
