The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said that from 29 September, payments at its major revenue points in Lagos and Abuja airports will be strictly cashless.
The agency announced the policy, known as ‘Operation Go Cashless’, at its 2025 Commercial and Business Development Stakeholders’ Forum in Lagos, saying the initiative will begin at Murtala Muhammed International Airport and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport before being extended to other airports nationwide.
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The move toward a cashless airport system was first hinted at in June during FAAN’s 2025 stakeholders’ forum.
According to FAAN, the policy, developed in partnership with payment company Paystack, will apply to car parks, access gates, and lounges. Travellers will be required to make payments using bank cards, USSD codes, or digital links. A FAAN-branded card is also being introduced for use at airport access points.
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FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Adebola Agunbiade, said the shift would cover all revenue streams, including access gates and tenant payments.
“All revenue points, from access gates to tenant payments, will now be processed via cards, digital links, or USSD. Lagos and Abuja will pilot this rollout,” she said.
Ms Agunbiade also reminded tenants and concessionaires of the mandatory use of FAAN’s Electronic Cash Register (ECRN), warning that enforcement would be stricter. “These systems cost money and are essential for transparency. We’ll be increasing monitoring and compliance,” she added.
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The agency assured stakeholders that the rollout would not be limited to Lagos and Abuja, as the initiative would be expanded in phases to other airports.
FAAN has previously tested electronic payment systems at airports, but officials say this represents its most comprehensive effort yet. They argue that the policy will improve passenger convenience, strengthen data collection, and reduce delays caused by manual transactions.
The push comes after years of disputes over revenue collection at airport gates. In 2020, FAAN terminated its concession with I-Cube West Africa following pressure from unions, which later assumed control of toll gates at Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
However, experts note that the success of the new policy will depend on how FAAN manages resistance from unions, tenants, and concessionaires, as well as challenges such as network downtime and the exclusion of passengers without access to digital tools.
By adopting the system, FAAN says it is aligning with a global aviation trend toward more transparent and technology-driven airport operations.
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