The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, has announced that the Federal Government has directed the agency to temporarily revert to a hybrid toll payment system at Nigerian airports following the traffic congestion triggered by the recent implementation of a cashless policy.
Kuku disclosed this during a media briefing with aviation journalists in Lagos, explaining that the decision followed the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after complaints of heavy gridlock around airport access roads, particularly in Lagos.
According to her, the directive was communicated after deliberations at the Federal Executive Council meeting, where the President urged aviation authorities to refine the system before enforcing it fully.
Kuku clarified that the cashless initiative itself has not been scrapped. Rather, FAAN has been asked to refine the process and expand user adoption before a full transition to digital toll payments.
“You heard the Honourable Minister following the Federal Executive Council meeting where Mr. President directed that the process should be improved before full implementation,” she said.
She described the development as a positive step for the aviation sector because it provides FAAN with additional time to strengthen the technology and improve the overall passenger experience.
The FAAN boss explained that the agency had originally planned to fully enforce the cashless toll policy from March 1 as part of a Federal Government directive aimed at modernising revenue collection systems at airports.
According to Kuku, preparations for the policy had been underway for months, with extensive awareness campaigns launched as early as October 2025.
The enlightenment drive was carried out in partnership with the National Orientation Agency, which used its digital platforms and community networks to inform commuters and airport users about the coming changes.
Despite these efforts, she noted that many commuters appeared unprepared when enforcement began. “From October to early March, we registered more than 100,000 users on the platform, but about 60,000 of those registrations occurred within the final three days before enforcement,” Kuku revealed.
She added that the system itself performed efficiently, recording approximately 99 per cent success in card transactions. While the technology functioned effectively, the rollout led to severe traffic congestion around airport entry points, especially at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The congestion, according to Kuku, was caused largely by a high number of unregistered users attempting to access the airport roads, combined with the unique traffic patterns around the area.
“The location of the toll gates is not ideal because the roads are used by more than just airport passengers,” she explained.
“In Lagos, many commuters who are not travelling by air use the same routes to access nearby districts such as Ikeja and other commercial hubs.”
The resulting gridlock raised concerns that passengers might miss their flights, prompting the President to intervene and direct FAAN to revert temporarily to a hybrid system that allows both cash and electronic payments.
Under the new arrangement, airport users will be able to pay toll charges using either cash or electronic options such as prepaid cards and electronic tags.
Kuku said this transitional arrangement would provide additional time to onboard more users and expand the payment infrastructure before enforcing a fully cashless system.
“We will continue to improve the system by ensuring the technology is stable, that passengers are properly informed, and that users have multiple payment options available,” she said.
She added that FAAN would also deepen collaboration with private sector technology partners to adopt lessons from successful automated toll systems implemented in other parts of the world.
The FAAN chief noted that traffic congestion was less severe at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where the system began stabilising after the first few days.
“By the third day of enforcement in Abuja, we observed a noticeable reduction in traffic delays,” she said.
However, the much higher traffic volume around Lagos airport meant the impact of the transition was far more pronounced.
Kuku reiterated that one of the key motivations behind the cashless toll initiative is the Federal Government’s determination to eliminate revenue leakages in airport operations.
Historically, manual cash collections at toll gates have been vulnerable to inefficiencies and possible diversion of funds.
“The directive from the Federal Government was designed to block leakages and ensure that revenues meant for the government are properly accounted for,” she said.
She assured that even under the temporary hybrid arrangement, FAAN would strengthen monitoring systems and introduce additional checks to prevent financial losses.
Responding to concerns from journalists about whether the agency conducted a pilot phase before the rollout, Kuku admitted that FAAN had limited time to run a comprehensive test programme due to the timeline attached to the directive.
“We probably did not have enough time for a full pilot phase,” she acknowledged. However, she said the current hybrid period effectively provides an opportunity for further testing, allowing FAAN to analyse operational challenges and refine the implementation strategy.
“This period allows us to study the challenges, take feedback and improve the change management process before full deployment,” she said.
The move towards automated toll payments forms part of broader reforms in Nigeria’s aviation sector aimed at improving operational efficiency and aligning airport infrastructure with international standards.
Many global airports already operate automated tolling and parking systems that minimise human contact, enhance security and improve revenue tracking.
Industry experts believe that once fully implemented, the cashless system could significantly improve traffic management and financial transparency at Nigeria’s busiest airports.
For now, FAAN says the immediate focus is to ensure that airport access remains smooth for passengers while the agency works to strengthen the system and prepare for a more seamless transition to full digital tolling.
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