FAAN cashless policy sparks chaos at Lagos, Abuja airports

Passengers travelling through airports in Lagos and Abuja on Sunday faced severe delays and missed flights following the full enforcement of the Federal Government’s cashless payment policy at airport access gates.

The policy, introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), requires motorists to make electronic payments before gaining entry into airport premises, replacing the previous cash-based system.

The rollout caused massive traffic congestion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, leaving many travellers stranded for hours.

Several passengers described chaotic scenes as drivers struggled to comply with the new payment process. Some abandoned their vehicles at airport entrances to catch flights, while others missed scheduled departures after being trapped in long queues.

A frequent flyer, Adedeji Rilewan, criticised what he described as poor planning, stressing that reforms should not disrupt time-sensitive airport operations.

“Nobody is against cashless payment, but you don’t introduce a system that prevents people from catching flights. I had to park my car at the gate to be able to catch my flight,” he said.

Another passenger, who identified himself simply as Wale, said he arrived early for his flight but remained stuck at the entrance for over an hour due to payment difficulties and confusion among motorists.

FAAN had earlier announced that all payments at its revenue points — including access gates, car parks, VIP lounges and protocol services — would become fully electronic from September 2025 as part of efforts to modernise airport operations and improve transparency. However, full enforcement only began on March 1, 2026.

Under the new system, airport users are required to obtain a dedicated FAAN electronic payment card, which must be registered, funded and scanned at entry points. Although bank ATM cards and Point-of-Sale (POS) payments were accepted, many travellers complained that transactions were slow or unsuccessful, worsening the congestion.

FAAN spokesperson, Henry Agbebire, attributed the disruption to last-minute compliance by motorists despite months of public sensitisation.

“Nobody passed through the toll gate and paid cash today, and that led to traffic congestion because many people were registering on the spot to obtain cards,” he said, adding that registration points had been set up near airport entrances.

Agbebire maintained that card availability was sufficient and noted that the dedicated FAAN card is free, requiring only a minimum balance for repeated use. He explained that while POS payments are allowed, they slow traffic flow, hence the preference for the agency’s electronic card.

He emphasised that the cashless initiative is aimed at blocking revenue leakages, curbing corruption and aligning airport operations with the Federal Government’s electronic revenue collection policy.

Also reacting, Michael Achimugu of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) expressed optimism that the situation would improve once travellers obtained the required cards.

According to him, the delays were temporary and expected to ease as airport users adjusted to the new system, which he said would ultimately make access faster and more transparent.