FAAN toll policy adopts hybrid cash and card system after traffic chaos at Lagos and Abuja airports
The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Olubunmi Kuku, announced on Thursday, 5 March 2026, in Lagos that motorists accessing toll gates at Murtala Muhammed International Airport and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport can now pay using either cash or payment cards.
Also read: FAAN cashless payment policy sparks chaos in Lagos, Abuja
The move follows a directive from President Bola Tinubu to fine-tune the authority’s cashless toll policy after severe traffic congestion disrupted airport operations on 1 March.
Kuku, speaking to aviation reporters at the General Aviation Terminal in Lagos, clarified that the president did not scrap the policy but instructed a temporary reversion to a hybrid system to prevent gridlock.
“The President saw the traffic gridlock that we were having as we were rolling out the cashless policy and asked us to revert to status quo or the hybrid approach.
That’s what we’re doing. So, this is a win for the industry,” she said.
The cashless policy, which required motorists to obtain dedicated payment cards or use ATM cards at toll gates, faced sharp criticism after its rollout caused long queues and stranded passengers.
Kuku noted that despite awareness campaigns dating back to October 2024, many motorists were caught unprepared by the strict March 1 deadline.
Despite initial disruptions, the policy prompted a surge in registrations, with over 100,000 users enrolled by 3 March, more than 60,000 of whom signed up in the last three days alone.
Kuku emphasised that the authority would carefully reassess the technology and public readiness before resuming the full cashless system.
The FAAN chief also committed to curbing revenue leakages during the hybrid phase.
“We will go back to the drawing board and fine-tune the process such that even when you continue to collect cash, there is at least a way before you do a full transition to also minimize the leakages that we see now,” Kuku said.
The initial rollout of the cashless system caused severe delays, forcing some passengers to miss flights and slowing business activity around airport corridors.
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The revised approach is intended to balance efficiency with practicality while keeping revenue integrity intact.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
