The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) , Olubunmi Kuku, has revealed that more than 100,000 users enrolled in the airport access payment system introduced as part of the agency’s move toward a cashless toll collection.
She said about 60,000 of the users registered within the last three days, describing the development as a major achievement for the agency despite the challenges experienced during the rollout.
According to her, FAAN had initially advocated a hybrid payment approach that would allow both automated cashless payments and cash transactions at airport toll gates.
She noted that many passengers and commuters appeared not to have taken seriously the March 1 deadline for the full implementation of the cashless system, even though public awareness campaigns began months earlier.
“We had actually asked for a hybrid approach that allows us to do both cashless as well as automated. Despite all the enlightenment that started, a lot of passengers and commuters did not realize we would actually stick to the March 1 deadline,” she said.
Providing details of the enrollment figures, the FAAN managing director stated that registrations grew significantly toward the deadline.
“From October to February, or up to March 3, we had over 100,000 users enrolled, and 60,000 of those users were registered in the last three days. For me, that is a major win,” she added.
She commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for directing a review of the policy after traffic congestion was observed around airport toll gates, particularly in Lagos.
According to her, the President recognised the operational realities of the airport environment and directed the aviation authorities to temporarily revert to a hybrid system while improvements are made.
“The President saw the traffic gridlock during the rollout of the cashless policy and asked us to revert to the status quo or a hybrid approach. This gives us time to refine the process and onboard more users,” she said.
The FAAN boss explained that the cashless initiative, which was approved by the Federal Executive Council and promoted with support from the National Orientation Agency, had achieved about 99 percent success with deployed cards, but unexpected congestion emerged due to the high number of commuters using airport routes.
She noted that the situation was particularly evident in Lagos where the location of the toll gates means they are used not only by air travellers but also by other commuters passing through the airport corridor.
In Abuja, however, FAAN recorded improvements within days of enforcement as traffic congestion reduced after the initial rollout.
The agency said it will now use the additional time granted by the government to improve the technology, expand payment options such as cards and e-tags, and further educate users before fully implementing the system nationwide.
FAAN maintained that the hybrid approach will ensure smoother airport access while the agency works toward a more efficient automated payment system.
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