Tinubu Suspends Cashless Payment System at Airports

On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu directed the immediate suspension of the recently introduced cashless payment system at Nigerian airports. This decision followed concerns regarding the system's implementation, which led to significant gridlock and hardship for air travelers nationwide.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this during a briefing after a Federal Executive Council meeting. The cashless system was intended to eliminate corruption and improve revenue collection by replacing decades-old cash payment practices at toll gates around airports.

However, within a week of its introduction, it caused severe congestion, particularly on access roads to airports in Lagos and Abuja, resulting in passengers missing flights. President Tinubu empathized with the difficulties faced by travelers and instructed the Ministry of FAAN to revert temporarily to previous payment arrangements.

The government plans to develop a more efficient electronic payment platform while allowing a hybrid system that includes cash payments through prepaid FAAN cards.