Nigerians lament gridlock at airport gates as FAAN rolls out new cashless payment system

Nigerians have reported experiencing a gridlock at the access gates of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja.

The traffic congestion comes as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) officially begins its go-cashless programme at the access gates of airports.On September 26, 2025, the agency announced the launch of ‘operation go cashless’, a contactless and cashless payment system developed in partnership with Paystack.The authority, on February 27, said the payment system would be fully implemented across all airport payment points nationwide from March 1, 2026.

Passengers reported long queues on the first day of the programme and took to X to express their frustrations.

Agbo Peter, an X user, said traffic at Abuja international airport was at a standstill, stretching from the tollgate to the roundabout near the fuel station, and urged authorities to intervene.

An X account known as ‘Alphanumerex’ advised travellers to leave three hours before their flights due to heavy congestion at the toll gate.

“If you’re travelling through Abuja airport today better leave three hours before your flight. There’s mad traffic at the toll gate,” the X user said.Another user, DozieIgbo, called on the aviation minister and FAAN to address the situation, noting that the delays could cause commuters to miss their flights.

‘LATE REGISTRATION BY MOTORISTS RESULTED IN GRIDLOCK’

Responding in a statement on Sunday, FAAN acknowledged the traffic build-up at the airport access gates, but blamed the situation on late registration by motorists.

“Despite the wide publicity, notices, and repeated announcements issued ahead of the commencement date, a significant number of motorists opted to register for their Go Cashless cards at the gates this morning,” the authority said.

“This understandably created pressure on the toll lanes and resulted in temporary gridlock.

“While some initial adjustment challenges were anticipated, as with any major system transition, the Authority had provided ample notice to encourage early registration and avoid congestion on day one.

“That said, FAAN remains deeply empathetic to the inconvenience experienced.”

To ease the situation, FAAN said it has deployed additional personnel to the access gates, increased registration points to fast-track first-time card issuance, and enhanced on-ground coordination to improve traffic flow.

The authority appealed for patience, understanding, and cooperation as efforts continue to stabilise and streamline the process.

“This transition is designed to deliver long-term benefits — faster processing, improved transparency, reduced cash handling risks, and a more efficient airport environment for all,” FAAN added.

The agency urged motorists yet to obtain their go-cashless cards to take advantage of the expanded registration support and plan ahead for subsequent visits.

Confirming the situation, Michael Achimugu, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) director of public affairs and consumer protection, said the inconvenience was a result of non-compliance with the new cashless policy.

“I am informed that drivers passing through the toll gate are encumbered by non-compliance with the new FAAN cashless policy,” Achimugu said in response to a post on X.

“Today is just a small inconvenience to ensure more seamless passage going forward.”

The federal government had prohibited ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) from collecting physical cash for revenue transactions, citing persistent violations of e-payment and treasury single account (TSA) policies.

Nigerians lament gridlock at airport gates as FAAN rolls out new cashless payment system | TheCable