President Bola Tinubu has suspended the newly introduced cashless payment system at airport toll gates nationwide following widespread gridlock that caused passengers to miss their flights.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the decision on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja. He said the President ordered an immediate return to the previous system pending the development of a more efficient alternative.
“Mr. President was very concerned about the welfare of Nigerians and the fact that many were missing their flights,” Keyamo said. “Out of empathy, he directed that we suspend the present system because it has created significant gridlock, and Nigerians are suffering as a result.”
He clarified that the suspension was aimed primarily at easing congestion at the Lagos and Abuja airport toll gates, stressing that the President remains committed to eliminating cash payments but not at the expense of operational efficiency.
The cashless system, introduced less than a week ago by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), was designed to curb corruption and optimize revenue collection at airport toll gates, parking lots, and other payment points. For over 50 years, FAAN had relied on cash collections, a system widely criticized for leakages and under-remittance.
However, the transition triggered severe traffic congestion on airport access roads, with passengers reporting hours-long delays and missed flights. Social media platforms were flooded with videos showing gridlock stretching several kilometres from the toll gates, particularly at the Lagos and Abuja airports, which handle the highest passenger traffic in the country.
Keyamo disclosed that President Tinubu has directed the ministry to urgently “return to the drawing board” and refine the system, including engaging private sector players to design a seamless electronic payment solution.
“If we have to pay commission, we will. We will bring in private sector participants to help us devise a more efficient system that eliminates cash without creating gridlock,” the minister said.
As an interim measure, a hybrid system will be introduced, allowing motorists to pay with cash while also accepting FAAN prepaid cards already purchased by users.
The minister did not provide a timeline for reintroducing the improved cashless system but emphasized that the President expects a swift resolution to the crisis.
