Following reports of significant traffic congestion and public frustration, the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to implement a hybrid payment system at all airport access gates nationwide.
The directive, announced on March 10 by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s order to suspend the recently introduced fully cashless policy, which had caused severe gridlock at major transit hubs, including the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The hybrid system, set to commence on Friday, March 13, 2026, will enable airport users to choose between cash and electronic payment methods.
This interim measure is designed to restore order and ease traffic flow while the Ministry works with concessionaires to develop a more robust, fully automated electronic system for the future.
Starting March 13, 2026, all airport access gates will accept both cash and card payments.
Motorists who have already acquired the FAAN Go Cashless Cards may continue to use them, and the Ministry continues to encourage members of the public to obtain these cards for faster, future-proof processing.
Other electronic payment options, including Point-of-Sale terminals and various approved digital channels, will also remain operational at all service points.
This decision reflects the government’s response to the operational challenges encountered during the initial rollout of the cashless policy, which began on March 1, 2026.
The Ministry has expressed its commitment to optimizing the payment infrastructure to ensure that future transitions to fully automated systems are seamless and do not compromise passenger convenience.
The current hybrid arrangement is a temporary restoration of the previous payment system to facilitate immediate traffic relief while technical improvements are finalized.