‘No VIP at the Gate’: Keyamo Enforces Cashless Airport Payment System

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed that the practice of granting VIP privileges at airport access gates be discontinued as part of efforts to enforce the federal government’s cashless and hybrid payment policy at airports across the country.

The minister made the announcement on Friday during an inspection visit to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where he carried out an on-the-spot assessment of the implementation of the hybrid payment system recently introduced by aviation authorities.

Keyamo said the government would no longer tolerate preferential treatment at airport entry points, noting that such practices have contributed significantly to revenue leakages within the system.

According to him, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), which pioneered the cashless initiative, will continue to drive the policy, while the ministry ensures strict compliance across all airports.

“We must stop the practice of treating people as VIPs at the airport gates because a large portion of the revenue is lost through such privileges,” Keyamo said during the inspection.

He noted that Abuja, as the nation’s capital, has many public officials and individuals who often expect special access, a situation he described as a major challenge to enforcing standard procedures.

The minister reaffirmed that the federal government remains committed to the transition toward a fully cashless airport payment system, stressing that there is no plan to abandon the policy.

“There is no going back on the cashless system. The government is determined to move completely to a cashless payment structure,” he said.

Keyamo revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given him a clear deadline to ensure the full implementation of the cashless framework across Nigerian airports. He added that the directive from the president has intensified the urgency of the reform.

The minister also emphasized that his office would now take closer oversight of the policy’s execution, explaining that while FAAN had previously handled most of the operational details, the ministry would play a more direct supervisory role going forward.

“I take full responsibility as minister. I cannot leave such an important reform entirely to others. That is why I am personally monitoring how the hybrid system is being implemented,” he said.

The Nigerian government had earlier announced plans to introduce cashless payments at airports beginning March 1, 2026, as part of broader reforms aimed at improving transparency, reducing corruption, and increasing revenue generation within the aviation sector.

However, the policy initially triggered traffic congestion and operational delays at several airports, prompting President Tinubu to temporarily suspend the rollout to allow authorities review the implementation process.

With the revised hybrid payment system, authorities aim to combine electronic payment options with limited transitional measures while gradually phasing out cash transactions entirely.

Officials say the reform is part of ongoing efforts by the government to modernize airport operations, strengthen accountability, and align Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure with global best practices.

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