President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of the cashless payment system recently introduced at Nigeria’s federal airports.
The directive was announced after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
According to the minister, the president took the decision after observing that the new system was causing serious congestion at airport gates, leading many Nigerians to miss their flights.
Keyamo explained that the president acted out of concern for travellers.
“The President directed that the present system be suspended because it created a lot of gridlock and Nigerians were suffering.”
Return to the Old System
Tinubu instructed the aviation ministry to return to the previous payment method temporarily while authorities review and improve the new system before reintroducing it.
The cashless initiative was introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as part of efforts to modernise airport operations and reduce physical cash transactions.
The ‘Go Cashless Card’ System
FAAN had earlier announced that beginning March 1, 2026, all payments at airport entry points would be made through the “Go Cashless Card” system.
The system was designed to provide:
- Faster transactions
- Contactless payments
- Improved security
- Reduced cash handling
However, the rollout encountered major challenges.
Despite earlier public announcements, many motorists attempted to register for the cards directly at the airport gates, causing long queues and heavy traffic at toll lanes.
FAAN acknowledged the issue and said it had deployed more personnel and created additional registration points to ease the congestion.
What Happens Next
With the presidential directive now in effect, the cashless system will be temporarily halted while authorities review the implementation process and address the operational issues.
The government says the system may be reintroduced later once it works smoothly without disrupting airport operations.
