President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday met with the Director-General of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Dr Olubunmi Kuku, at the State House, Abuja, shortly after ordering the suspension of the newly introduced cashless payment system at airport toll gates nationwide.
The meeting followed the President’s directive halting the policy barely an hour earlier, after severe traffic congestion was reported at major airports, particularly in Lagos and Abuja.
Our correspondent observed that Kuku arrived at the Presidential Villa around 5:45 p.m. alongside the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, who had earlier briefed State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting.
Although officials did not disclose the agenda, sources indicated that discussions centred on the operational setbacks that prompted the suspension of the cashless toll gate system.
Earlier, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced that the President approved the suspension following complaints from travellers stranded in long queues at airport toll gates and at risk of missing their flights.
According to Keyamo, the President acted out of concern for the welfare of Nigerians affected by the gridlock.
“Mr President was very concerned about the welfare of Nigerians and the fact that most Nigerians were losing their flights, missing their flights,” the minister said after the FEC meeting.
“So Mr President, out of empathy, directed today that we should suspend the present system because it creates a lot of gridlock.”
The cashless payment system, introduced less than a week ago, was designed to eliminate corruption and improve revenue collection at toll gates and other payment points operated by FAAN at airports nationwide.
However, the new system triggered massive traffic congestion, with motorists struggling to complete electronic payments at the gates.
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Keyamo said the President has directed the ministry to immediately return to the drawing board and work with relevant stakeholders, including private sector operators, to develop a more efficient electronic payment system that would eliminate cash transactions without disrupting airport access.
“The President directed me that this should not take too long, and I should get back to him on this issue,” the minister said.
Officials said the government is considering a temporary hybrid arrangement that will allow both cash payments and the use of prepaid FAAN cards while a more seamless electronic system is developed.
As the operator of airport toll gates and payment points across the country, FAAN is expected to play a central role in implementing any revised payment framework.
The now-suspended cashless policy was intended to replace a cash-based collection system that had operated for more than five decades but had been widely criticised for enabling revenue leakages and fraud.
