The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, visited the access gates at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Friday to assess the performance of the newly introduced hybrid payment system for vehicles entering the airport.
The visit followed the ministry’s directive restoring the hybrid arrangement—allowing both cash and electronic payments—after the earlier suspension of the fully cashless access gate system, in line with instructions from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
During the inspection, the minister monitored traffic flow at the gates and interacted with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) overseeing the implementation. He expressed satisfaction with the smoother vehicular movement that has been recorded since the hybrid payment option was introduced.
Keyamo also commended FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, and the agency’s team for making swift operational adjustments to ease congestion and improve access to the airport.
He explained that the hybrid system is an interim measure while the ministry continues engagements with concessionaires to deploy a fully automated electronic access gate system across Nigeria’s airports.
The minister added that further improvements are being considered, including dedicated lanes for cash payments to reduce traffic build-up at the gates.
The inspection, he said, reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to improving airport access, easing congestion, and enhancing the travel experience for passengers and other airport users.
