Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has approved the introduction of a hybrid payment system for motorists entering airport access gates across the country.
The development was made known in a statement by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Mr. Tunde Moshood.
According to the statement, the directive was issued after Keyamo held a meeting with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and senior personnel of the ministry.
The minister explained that the move comes after the suspension of the full cashless “Access Gate Payment System”, which was earlier halted on the directive of President Bola Tinubu following complaints about traffic congestion at airport entry points.
“The ministry has resolved to engage concessionaires in order to introduce a fully automated or electronic system at all access gates at our airports in order to fully and eventually eliminate cash payments.
“In the meantime, a hybrid payment system that accommodates both cash and card payments will resume at all airport access gates with effect from Friday.
“Motorists who already have the FAAN Go Cashless Cards may continue to use them until further notice. Other electronic payment options, including POS terminals and other approved digital channels, will also remain available,” he said.
Keyamo also urged members of the public and motorists to obtain and make use of the “FAAN Go Cashless Card”, noting that the authority is working to strengthen and fully optimise the cashless payment system.
He added that the decision temporarily restores the previous access gate payment arrangement while efforts continue to establish a fully automated electronic system at airport entry points nationwide.
