KEY POINTS

• FAAN cashless airport gates rollout caused gridlock at NAIA.
• Motorists without Go Cashless cards were denied entry.
• FAAN deployed extra staff to ease congestion.

Chaos and heavy traffic congestion disrupted access to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Sunday as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria activated its cashless payment system at airport entrance gates.

Motorists without the mandatory “Go Cashless” card were denied entry, forcing many to queue for on-the-spot registration or turn back. By Monday, traffic delays persisted, leaving passengers stranded and some at risk of missing flights.

Despite awareness campaigns since 2025, several drivers said they were unaware the FAAN cashless airport gates policy would take effect at entry points.

“I have been plying this route every day, and I hear of cashless, but I didn’t know it would start from the entrance gate,” said commuter John Ameh.

FAAN Cashless Airport Gates Rollout

In a statement, FAAN acknowledged the disruption and apologised for the inconvenience. The authority said the programme officially commenced at both Murtala Muhammed International Airport and NAIA in line with federal directives on cashless transactions.

FAAN attributed the congestion to a surge of motorists attempting to register for the required cards at the gates on the first day of implementation.

“While some initial adjustment challenges were anticipated, as with any major system transition, the Authority had provided ample notice to encourage early registration,” FAAN said.

To ease the pressure, it deployed additional personnel, expanded registration points and strengthened on-ground coordination to improve traffic flow.

Commuters Cite Readiness Concerns

Motorists expressed frustration over the rollout. Some said not all debit cards were compatible with the system, while others questioned network reliability.

“The queues are terrible. How many people have Tap to Pay debit cards? We’re not ready for this,” said one commuter, Musa.

Another driver, Emeka Uzo, said authorities should have enforced the FAAN cashless airport gates requirement earlier to allow gradual adjustment rather than launching it fully at once.

FAAN said the transition is designed to improve transparency, reduce cash handling risks and streamline processing at airport entrances. It urged motorists to obtain the required cards ahead of future visits as it works to stabilise operations.