Keyamo to Assess Initial Week of Cashless Payments at Nigerian Airports

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to eliminating cash transactions at Nigerian airports. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, revealed that the review of the initial week of the new cashless payment system is underway. This initiative aims to combat corruption, enhance transparency, and significantly improve revenue generation at airport payment points nationwide.

Keyamo made the announcement via X, revealing that he and his team would evaluate the performance of the cashless system that has been introduced at all airport payment checkpoints across the country. This assessment is intended to gauge the policy's effectiveness and identify any necessary adjustments for improved efficiency.

"By the close of this week, my team and I will be reviewing the first week since the implementation of our cashless approach at payment points throughout the airports in the nation to rid our operations of corruption and optimize revenue," he stated.

He added, "We are committed to enhancing the system's efficiency over time through innovative strategies, but this administration is steadfast in abolishing cash transactions at our facilities. We appreciate your understanding."

This new cashless policy aligns with wider governmental reforms aimed at digitizing revenue collection processes and decreasing losses associated with manual cash handling methods.

This move follows an earlier announcement from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), indicating that cash payments would cease to be accepted at its pay points from March 1, 2026.

In a statement dated February 27, FAAN clarified that the directive applies to access gates, parking areas, and executive lounges across all airports it manages nationwide.

According to FAAN, "In line with the Central Bank of Nigeria's directive, beginning March 1, 2026, all transactions at any FAAN pay point must be digitized. This includes payments at access gates, parking facilities, and executive lounge entrances at both international and local airports."

FAAN elaborated that this decision is part of its "Go Cashless" initiative aimed at expediting, securing, and thoroughly digitalizing airport transactions. Passengers have been advised to acquire their access cards at gates and lounges to utilize the "Tap and Go" system for expedited payments and less waiting time.