FAAN, Airports and Traffic Gridlock

The ‘cashless’ policy is a welcome initiative, but FAAN could have done more sensitisation

Many travellers to domestic destinations from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos have been missing their flights this week due to traffic gridlock that builds up at the toll gate that connects both terminals. In Abuja, the situation is worse. Both domestic and international travellers are being made to suffer with many also missing their flights. All because of a mismanaged ‘cashless’ policy that was not well thought through. Without the requisite access card, known as ‘Go Cashless’ by motorists, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has resorted to collecting toll from every vehicle, using Point of Sale (POS) machines which cause delays, leading to kilometre-long traffic jam.

In June last year, FAAN announced it would introduce cashless payments in all its revenue channels with enforcement slated to commence on 1st March 2026. In the initial announcement, FAAN indeed reiterated that all payments would be made online using an airport card that was supposed to be ‘tap and go’ for motorists at the payment point to eliminate delay. it was supposed to be a seamless and straightforward process. But by the time FAAN introduced the cashless payment system across the country on Sunday, it was obvious that the agency did not carry out adequate sensitisation for motorists who regularly use the toll gate link roads to migrate to their payment access card.

 Yes, the agency announced designated collection points for airport users seeking to obtain their FAAN Go-Cashless cards. But it did little public enlightenment campaign. FAAN also did not carry out a feedback review to realise that many people have not obtained the access payment card. On Sunday when the cashless system was introduced, most of the motorists who drove through the toll gate had no access card. But the toll collectors insisted on cashless payment, refusing to collect cash from anyone. They had to resort to using POS, which further intensified the gridlock.

 We endorse the cashless policy. Apart from enhancing transparency and accountability, it would take less time than cash payment as part of the advancement over the old-fashioned cash collection system which has been jettisoned by many countries. But what has become apparent from the traffic gridlock incidents is that FAAN did not do enough at sensitising the people. Beyond the ceremony of the launch last year, FAAN should have followed through with advert campaigns and promo events to let the people know that it has introduced cashless payment system at the airports. Social media would have also helped the sensitisation process.

Ordinarily, FAAN ought to have monitored the acquisition of the card by motorists who ply the link road. If it did, it would have been clear to the agency that many Nigerians were still not aware of the new policy. However, it is possible, as some people also suggest, that FAAN may have been railroaded into commencing cashless payment at its revenue points to align with the federal government’s nationwide ban on all cash transactions payment policy to enhance transparency.

 Going forward, FAAN should not only introduce payment access card but should also develop the system where a motorist could place his card on the dashboard of his car and payment would be made through sensor, while driving through the toll gate. That is what obtains in many countries, including South Africa. This certainly will shorten the time a motorist will stay at the toll gate and totally wipe out the build up that would continue to happen after the introduction of the cashless payment system.