WED MAR 11 2026-theGBJournal| Nigeria’s Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has opted for a concessionaire-driven and hybrid payment model for access gates across the country’s airports following the collapse of the previously introduced cashless gate payment system.
The hybrid payment system will accommodate both cash and card payments and will resume at all airport access gates with effect from Friday, March 13, 2026.
The latest directive restores the previous access gate payment arrangement whilst the Ministry continues to work on the fully automated or electronic system.
The Aviation ministry said motorists who already possess 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.”
The decision follows meeting between the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo on Tuesday and officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as well as senior officials of the Ministry.
The earlier cashless access gate system, introduced to improve transparency and reduce cash handling, had faced persistent technical glitches, payment processing failures, and long queues at airport entrances, sparking complaints from travelers, transport operators, and airport service providers.
The disruptions affected traffic flow at major airports and forced authorities to reconsider the payment architecture.
Under the new arrangement, concessionaires will eventually manage the access gates while a hybrid payment structure—combining electronic and cash payment options—will be deployed to ensure operational flexibility and reliability.
Aviation authorities believe the new model will improve efficiency, enhance revenue collection, and prevent a recurrence of the disruptions that followed the breakdown of the cashless system.
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