The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has directed the reintroduction of a hybrid payment system at airport access gates across Nigeria following the suspension of the fully cashless payment system that caused traffic gridlock at some airports.

The directive was issued after the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, met with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and senior ministry officials in Abuja to review the initial implementation of the access gate payment system.

The ministry said the earlier full cashless system had been suspended on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following the traffic congestion it created at airport entry points.

According to a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the meeting assessed the operational challenges encountered during the rollout of the cashless access gate payment.

As part of the resolutions reached, the ministry announced plans to engage concessionaires to introduce a fully automated or electronic payment system at airport access gates nationwide in order to eventually eliminate cash transactions.

However, pending the full deployment of the automated system, a hybrid payment arrangement allowing both cash and electronic payments will resume at all airport access gates beginning from Friday, March 13, 2026.

Motorists who already possess FAAN Go Cashless Cards will continue to use them until further notice, the ministry said.

It added that other electronic payment options, including POS terminals and other approved digital channels, will remain available for users.

The ministry encouraged members of the public and road users to obtain and use the FAAN Go Cashless Card as efforts continue to enhance and fully optimise the cashless payment system.
The directive effectively restores the previous airport access gate payment arrangement while work continues on the deployment of a fully automated electronic system.