Henry Agbebire , Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has responded to concerns over the gridlock experienced at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos following the introduction of the cashless regime.
The system, designed to eliminate cash handling risks and improve transparency, has faced initial challenges, with passengers experiencing delays and congestion at toll gates.
According to Mr. Henry Agbebire, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, the issues are largely due to motorists choosing to register for cards at the toll gates rather than beforehand, extending processing time.
“The build-up experienced was largely due to many users choosing to register for cards at the toll gates on commencement day rather than beforehand, which extended processing time,” Agbebire explained.
The FAAN has introduced four payment channels to ease the process: the FAAN Go Cashless Card, E-Tag, VIP Sticker, and ATM/Debit Card via POS.
Agbebire emphasized that the FAAN Go Cashless Card is a closed-loop access card designed to function independently of third-party banking networks, allowing for faster transaction validation.
“The contactless FAAN Go Cashless Card is a closed-loop access card, deliberately designed to function independently of third-party banking networks at the toll point. This architecture is intentional and aligns with global best practice for high-speed access control systems,” he said.
The goal of the cashless regime is to improve transparency, accountability, and speed of access, aligning with the Federal Government’s directive.
While acknowledging the initial challenges, Agbebire assured that the system will improve as adoption stabilizes and more motorists migrate to the faster closed-loop option.
“The objective of the reform remains clear: eliminate cash handling risks, improve transparency and accountability, enhance speed and predictability of access,” he said.
