Keyamo Orders Hybrid Payment At Airport Gates

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the resumption of a hybrid payment system at airport access gates nationwide from Friday, March 13, 2026.

The directive was announced in a statement issued by his spokesperson following the earlier suspension of the full cashless payment policy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Under the new arrangement, motorists will be allowed to make payments using both cash and electronic channels at airport gates.

The move is aimed at easing the traffic gridlocks that occurred during the initial rollout of the fully cashless system.

The Ministry of Aviation clarified that the hybrid payment system will be implemented across all airports managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

Motorists accessing the airports will be able to pay gate fees either with cash or through electronic platforms while authorities continue efforts to restore an efficient automated system.

“Following the earlier suspension of the full cashless Access Gate payment system as directed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, due to the traffic gridlock it created, the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development today met with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and senior officials of the Ministry,

“In the meantime, a hybrid payment system that accommodates both cash and card payments will resume at all airport access gates with effect from Friday, March 13, 2026.”

The ministry explained that the temporary hybrid system became necessary after the fully cashless model created operational challenges, including congestion at airport access points.

Motorists who already possess the FAAN Go Cashless Card were advised to continue using it until further notice, noting that more than 100,000 cards have been issued since the rollout of the initiative.

Other electronic payment options, including point-of-sale terminals and approved digital channels, will also remain available across the airports.

The ministry added that plans are underway to engage concessionaires to introduce a fully automated payment system in the future with the long-term goal of eliminating cash payments.

It also encouraged members of the public to obtain and use the FAAN Go Cashless Card as part of efforts to optimise the cashless payment system.

The hybrid model, according to the ministry, is a temporary measure to ensure smoother access to airports while authorities refine the electronic payment framework.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria had initially rolled out a nationwide cashless payment policy on March 1, 2026, requiring digital payments for airport access gates, parking facilities, and executive lounges across its airports.

However, reports from Murtala Muhammed International Airport and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport indicated severe traffic congestion during the early days of the rollout, with some passengers reportedly missing flights.

Following the disruptions, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered a temporary suspension of the policy on March 4 to allow authorities to review the system and prevent further gridlocks at airport gates.