President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday directed the immediate suspension of the cashless system introduced at airports across the country.
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President Tinubu’s decision was based on the suffering and gridlock the cashless policy has caused in the roughly one week since its implementation.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The minister said the ministry will engage private sector participants to help devise an efficient payment system.
According to the minister, President Tinubu directed that the ministry go back to the drawing board and perfect a system that would not be stressful, adding that Mr. President advised him to report back as soon as possible.
Keyamo said: “We introduced our toolkits across the country in order to eliminate corruption and optimize revenue for the federal government. You recall that this practice has gone on for more than 50 years.
“With the introduction of the cashless system less than two weeks ago, it has created a lot of gridlock across the country. Mr. President was very concerned about the welfare of Nigerians and the fact that most Nigerians were losing or missing their flights.
“And so Mr. President, out of empathy, directed today that we should suspend the present system because it creates a lot of gridlock and Nigerians are suffering as a result of it.
“He directed me to go back to the drawing board. We should revert to the status quo, suspend the present system whereby people have to pay through the various means we introduced at the gates across the country, and then perfect the system properly.
“In fact, the President directed me that this should not take too long and that I should get back to him on this issue.
“We should go back and, if possible, even engage the private sector to ensure that we establish an electronic system by which we can collect this money at the gates to the extent that it will not create the gridlock we are having right now.
“So I am hereby directing, also based on the directive of the President, to suspend the present process. We should go back to the drawing board.”
The cashless policy, which took effect on March 1, 2026, barred cash payments at airport toll gates, requiring motorists to use prepaid access cards or electronic payment channels. The sudden implementation led to massive traffic gridlock at both airports, with motorists stranded and flights delayed. Many commuters reported being unaware of the policy or lacking compatible debit cards, while others described slow network performance and poor system readiness.
FAAN acknowledged the disruption, stating that while notices and public awareness campaigns had been issued, many motorists opted to register at the gates, causing pressure and temporary congestion. The Authority deployed additional personnel, expanded registration points, and enhanced on-ground coordination to ease traffic, but the chaos prompted the President to suspend the system for reassessment.
Motorists and airport users have welcomed the suspension, noting that the system requires thorough testing and gradual implementation to avoid further disruption. FAAN has pledged to streamline the process and improve public communication before the cashless policy is reintroduced.
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