The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has transitioned to a temporary hybrid payment model at airport toll gates across the country following a direct intervention by President Bola Tinubu.
The Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, announced the policy shift on Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Lagos, noting that the move is designed to alleviate the severe traffic gridlock caused by the abrupt enforcement of a 100% cashless policy at major aviation gateways.
The structural and operational consequence of the initial digital-only rollout, which began on March 1, resulted in significant delays for commuters and travelers, particularly at the Lagos and Abuja airport entrances.
Under the President’s new directive, the authority will revert to the “status quo” by accepting both cash and digital payments simultaneously. This hybrid approach ensures that passengers do not miss flights due to processing bottlenecks while allowing FAAN the necessary time to refine its technological infrastructure and onboard more users to the digital platform
.Analytically, the data suggests that while the technology itself is functional, the public was largely underprepared for the transition. Despite FAAN enrolling over 100,000 users on its electronic payment platform between October 2025 and early March, nearly 60,000 of those registrations occurred in a frantic three-day window just before the deadline.
Mrs. Kuku admitted that the initial rollout lacked a comprehensive pilot phase due to the pressure of meeting federal deadlines, leading to the logistical challenges witnessed earlier this week.The impact on “Revenue Transparency and Public Enlightenment” remains a priority during this extended transition period.
FAAN intends to use this window to onboard additional private technology partners to streamline options such as e-tags and smart cards. Simultaneously, the authority is strengthening internal checks and balances to prevent the revenue leakages often associated with cash transactions, ensuring all manual payments are properly accounted for and remitted to the federal government.
Furthermore, the President has directed the Ministry of Aviation to oversee the refinement of the payment process before any future attempt at a full phase-out of cash. Mrs. Kuku emphasized that the current technology has recorded a 99 per cent success rate among those already using the cards, but more time is required for public sensitization to ensure commuters are not caught off guard.
By removing the immediate deadline, the government aims to bridge the gap between environmental necessity and economic feasibility.The long-term outlook for Nigeria’s airport infrastructure points toward an inevitable digital future, but one that respects the practical realities of the local environment. For now, travelers can expect a more fluid entry into airport premises as the hybrid system accommodates diverse payment preferences. As FAAN continues its digital transformation, the focus will remain on building a system that is as efficient for the traveler as it is transparent for the regulator.
