The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will resume accepting both cash and electronic payments at airport access gates nationwide from Friday, March 13, 2026.
The move comes after the initial rollout of a fully cashless payment system caused significant traffic congestion at several airports, prompting President Bola Tinubu to order its suspension.
Following the directive, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, instructed FAAN to halt the cashless system and temporarily return to the previous payment arrangement.
Under the new hybrid system, travellers can pay using cash, FAAN Go Cashless Cards, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, or other approved digital payment channels. The ministry encouraged road users to obtain and use the FAAN card as it continues working towards a fully automated electronic system.
Tunde Moshood, media adviser to the minister, said the ministry would engage concessionaires to introduce a fully automated system in the future, aiming to eventually eliminate cash payments at airport gates.
“This directive restores the previous access gate payment arrangement while the ministry continues to work on a fully automated or electronic system,” Moshood said.
Earlier, on March 4, Keyamo announced that his team would review the first week of the cashless system’s implementation to address operational challenges, curb corruption, and optimise revenue.
