Passengers and motorists were left stranded for hours on Sunday as heavy traffic and confusion marred the rollout of a new cashless toll payment system by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at major airports in Lagos and Abuja.
The policy, which took effect on March 1, 2026, eliminates cash payments at airport toll gates, mandating the use of prepaid access cards or electronic payment channels.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, long lines of vehicles stretched from the toll gate toward Oshodi and adjoining access roads as drivers scrambled to obtain the newly introduced access cards.
Similar scenes played out at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where frustrated travellers complained of missed flights and delayed pick-ups.
Motorists who arrived unaware of the full enforcement were turned back at toll points and directed to registration centres to obtain prepaid cards before being allowed entry.
FAAN had earlier announced the cashless regime as part of efforts to curb revenue leakages and comply with the Federal Government’s directive on electronic revenue collection across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Despite prior notices and publication of designated card collection points, the immediate enforcement appeared to catch many users unprepared.
The rush to register on-site worsened congestion, with motorists parking along access roads to fill out forms, scan QR codes and load funds onto their cards.
Under the new system, the access card is issued free of charge, but users must load a minimum balance — typically between N1,000 and N2,000 — to activate it. A N500 maintenance fee is deducted upon funding.
Although Point of Sale (POS) payments are also accepted, FAAN officials acknowledged that POS transactions slow traffic compared to the faster tap-and-go card system.
Some airport users criticised the abrupt enforcement, suggesting the policy should have been phased in to ease the transition.
A cab driver at Abuja airport, Musa Bello, said one of his passengers had to pay N5,000 to a commercial motorcyclist to bypass the traffic and avoid missing a flight.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, attributed the congestion to last-minute compliance by motorists.
“We publicised the cashless policy, but many people waited until today to get their cards. Nobody is allowed to pay cash anymore, so that created the initial rush,” he said.
Agbebire explained that the system allows users to register online via QR code and load funds electronically, enabling multiple entries before needing to top up again.
“The idea is to block leakages and align with the federal government directive to ensure revenues are collected through cashless means,” he added.
FAAN has urged frequent airport users to obtain and preload their cards ahead of travel, stressing that the cashless toll system is now fully operational at the country’s busiest airports.
