Tinubu also urged FAAN and the Aviation Ministry to ‘go back to the drawing board’ and develop a more people-friendly alternative.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced the suspension of the recently introduced cashless policy following an order from President Bola Tinubu.
This was revealed on Wednesday by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, while briefing journalists on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by the President.
The order comes barely four days after the rollout of the policy triggered massive gridlock at major airports nationwide.
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Launched on 1 March, the policy mandated digital payments via ‘Go Cashless’ cards or POS systems for airport access gates, parking, and lounges.
Its introduction, however, sparked severe traffic jams at key facilities such as Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, resulting in long queues, stranded motorists, and numerous missed flights.
Speaking on the development, Keyamo said Tinubu had ordered the aviation ministry and the leadership of FAAN to halt implementation pending a review.
He added that the President also urged them to “go back to the drawing board” and develop a more people-friendly alternative that balances revenue transparency goals with passenger convenience.
The minister went on to encourage those who had bought cards to continue using them, adding that cash is also permissible until the relevant agencies announce the way forward.
