The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, has inspected the rollout of a new hybrid toll payment system at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport tollgate in Lagos, part of efforts to modernise airport access and improve traffic flow.
The inspection took place on Friday following a similar exercise earlier in the day at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where the new toll payment system had already been deployed.
Speaking after the inspection, Kuku said the initiative aligns with a directive from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to introduce a hybrid payment system across airport tollgates nationwide.
She explained that the new system enables travellers to make payments using an automated cashless method known as the “gold card,” while still allowing traditional payment options such as cash and other channels. The hybrid structure, she said, is intended to ease the transition toward fully digital payments.
According to the FAAN chief, the initial rollout at the Abuja airport tollgate recorded smooth traffic flow during the morning operations. She attributed the early success to public awareness campaigns designed to educate travellers on how to use the automated payment platform.
Kuku noted that operations at the Lagos airport tollgate also proceeded without major disruptions, although further public sensitisation would be required due to the high number of occasional and first-time users accessing the facility.
She said many travellers are still becoming familiar with the available payment methods and learning how to adopt faster automated options for quicker entry into the airport.
The FAAN managing director added that additional work would be needed to fully integrate the new payment system with existing concessionaires responsible for managing the toll infrastructure.
Lessons gathered from the ongoing rollout, she said, will guide improvements in the payment process as FAAN works closely with the Aviation Ministry to streamline operations.
The hybrid toll payment system forms part of FAAN’s broader efforts to modernise airport access infrastructure, enhance traffic management, and expand the use of digital payment technologies across Nigeria’s major airports.
