The (FAAN) has disclosed that more than 100,000 airport access cards have been issued to motorists nationwide as part of preparations to implement the Federal Government’s cashless toll payment system at airport entry gates.
Managing Director of FAAN, , revealed that 62,000 cards were issued within just three days following the enforcement of the policy earlier this month.
The initiative was introduced to support the Federal Government’s cashless policy at airport tollgates. However, its rollout initially caused widespread disruption at major airports.
Cashless rollout triggered chaos
When the policy took effect on March 1, many motorists and passengers encountered long queues and severe gridlock at airport entry points, especially in and .
The congestion left several passengers struggling to catch their flights.
According to Kuku, despite prior public awareness campaigns, many motorists did not believe the policy would actually be enforced on the scheduled date.
She said the unexpected surge in traffic created major bottlenecks during the early days of the rollout.
“We registered about 100,000 customers, of which 62,000 were done in the last three days,” she explained, noting that traffic had started easing after the initial challenges.
Tinubu orders suspension
Amid public complaints over the disruption, Nigeria’s President, , directed that airport tollgates be temporarily opened to allow motorists free access.
Following the directive, FAAN officials stationed at the tollgates reportedly vacated their posts, allowing vehicles to enter airports without payment for several days.
A motorist identified as Idris confirmed that vehicles had been passing through the tollgates freely since the directive was issued.
“I’ve been driving through the airport gate for about five days now without paying or seeing officials around,” he said.
Government reviewing new system
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, , said the President ordered the temporary suspension after concerns that the new system was causing unnecessary hardship for travellers.
He explained that the government would temporarily revert to the previous payment method while officials work on a more efficient electronic solution.
According to Keyamo, the President was particularly concerned that the gridlock caused many Nigerians to miss their flights.
The government is expected to refine the cashless payment system before reintroducing it across airports nationwide.
