President Tinubu Suspends FAAN Cashless Toll Gate Policy At Airports

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of the newly introduced cashless toll gate system at Nigerian airports.

The policy, put in place by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), had resulted in long queues and traffic congestion at the nation’s airports as drivers, passengers and other stakeholders struggled to comply.

On Wednesday, President Tinubu directed the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to suspend the implementation of the cashless policy due to the chaotic congestion at airports.

Confirming the directive of the President, Keyamo, who spoke to newsmen after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, said Tinubu directed an immediate return to the status quo while a more efficient system is developed.

“Mr. President was very concerned about the welfare of Nigerians and the fact that most Nigerians were losing their flights, missing their flights.

“So Mr. President, out of empathy, directed today that we should suspend the present system because it creates a lot of gridlock, and Nigerians are suffering as a result of it,” Keyamo stated.

The Minister emphasized that the President’s directive was driven majorly by the gridlock at the Lagos and Abuja airport toll gates.

“The major reason why Mr. President took this decision is to eliminate the present gridlock that we are experiencing, especially at both the Lagos and Abuja toll gates leading to the airport.

“That’s the major reason, not that the President is happy with the cash system,” the Minister clarified.

Keyamo disclosed that President Tinubu has directed the ministry to return to the drawing board and perfect the system.

He said the Ministry would come up with a better plan that will not create gridlock as is being experienced right now.

“In fact, the President directed me that this should not take too long. It should not take too long, and I should get back to him on this issue.

“We should go back and, if possible, even engage the private sector to ensure that we establish an electronic system by which we can collect these revenues for the federal government at the gates, to the extent that it will not create the gridlock that we are having right now,” the Minister stated.