The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Friday inspected the vehicle access gates at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja to assess the operational performance of the newly introduced hybrid payment system for vehicles entering the airport.
The visit followed the federal government’s directive restoring a hybrid payment arrangement that allows both cash and electronic payments, after the earlier suspension of the fully cashless access gate system approved by 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) responsible for implementing the new arrangement. He expressed satisfaction with the improved vehicular movement recorded since the introduction of the hybrid payment option.
Keyamo also commended the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku, and the agency’s management team for making swift operational adjustments aimed at easing congestion and improving access into the airport.
According to the Minister, the hybrid payment system is a temporary measure while the Ministry continues engagements with concessionaires to deploy a fully automated electronic access gate system across Nigeria’s airports. He added that further operational improvements are being considered, including the creation of dedicated lanes for cash payments to reduce traffic build-up at the gates.
The inspection, he noted, reflects the federal government’s commitment to ensuring efficient airport access, reducing congestion, and improving the overall travel experience for airport users.