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By Oscar Okhifo
President Bola Tinubu has slammed the brakes on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)’s cashless policy, ordering an immediate halt just four days after its rollout sparked massive airport gridlock and left passengers stranded across the country.
The policy, launched on March 1, required travelers to pay via “Go Cashless” cards or POS systems for access gates, parking, and lounges. Its implementation led to long queues, heavy traffic jams, and chaos at key airports, including Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport and Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, leaving motorists and travelers in frustration.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Festus Keyamo, briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Tinubu.
In a decisive move, Tinubu instructed Keyamo and FAAN leadership to halt implementation immediately.
He told them to “go back to the drawing board” and come up with a more people‑friendly alternative that balances revenue transparency goals with passenger convenience.
The move comes after widespread backlash from the public and airport stakeholders, who slammed the rollout as rushed, impractical, and disruptive.
FAAN and the Ministry of Aviation are now expected to reassess the policy and propose a system that guarantees smoother airport operations while ensuring revenue transparency.
President Tinubu’s directive makes it clear that passenger convenience must be at the heart of any new plan.