Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced a modification to its cashless toll policy at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Motorists can now pay using either cash or payment cards, following a directive from President Bola Tinubu to prevent severe traffic congestion experienced during the policy’s rollout.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday at the General Aviation Terminal in Lagos, FAAN Managing Director Olubunmi Kuku clarified that the cashless policy has not been permanently scrapped but will be fine-tuned. “The President saw the traffic gridlock that we were having as we were rolling out the cashless policy and asked us to revert to status quo or the hybrid approach. That’s what we’re doing. So, this is a win for the industry,” she said.
The initial cashless policy, which required motorists to obtain dedicated payment cards or use ATM cards, caused massive gridlock on March 1, leaving passengers stranded and some missing flights. Despite awareness campaigns beginning in October 2024, many road users were unprepared for the sudden enforcement.
Kuku noted that the policy did record a surge in registration, with over 100,000 users enrolled by March 3, more than 60,000 of whom signed up in the three days following the rollout.
She added that before fully resuming the cashless system, FAAN would ensure the technology is fully functional and that users are adequately informed. “Once we’ve sort of gone down on the gridlock that we had over the last few days, we’ll look at it again,” Kuku said.
The FAAN boss also emphasised the authority’s commitment to reducing revenue leakages during the hybrid phase. “We will go back to the drawing board and fine-tune the process such that even when you continue to collect cash, there is at least a way before you do a full transition to also minimize the leakages that we see now,” she explained.
The adjustment aims to maintain smooth airport traffic, protect passengers’ schedules, and ensure businesses around airport corridors continue to operate efficiently.
