Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the immediate suspension of Very Important Persons (VIP) privileges at airport access tollgates as part of efforts to enforce the federal government’s cashless payment policy.
Keyamo made this known on Friday during an inspection visit to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where he assessed the implementation of the hybrid cashless payment system introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The minister emphasized that the era of granting exemptions to VIPs at airport tollgates was over, noting that such practices had significantly reduced government revenue. According to him, the abuse of VIP privileges had undermined the effectiveness of the payment system at the nation’s airports.
“We must not have VIPs bypassing payment points anymore because a significant portion of our revenue is lost through these exemptions,” Keyamo said. “In Abuja, almost everyone claims to be a VIP. You find ‘FG’ printed on many business cards with titles such as Special Adviser, Senior Special Assistant, and other designations.”
He reiterated that the federal government remains committed to enforcing the cashless policy across all airports, stressing that there would be no reversal of the initiative.
Keyamo further revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had given him a strict deadline to ensure the full implementation of the cashless payment system. He noted that the directive was issued during a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, where the president made it clear that the aviation ministry must complete the transition within the stipulated timeframe.
According to the minister, he would personally oversee the process to ensure compliance by all relevant agencies and staff members. He warned that officials responsible for delays or sabotage of the policy could face disciplinary action.
Initially, the cashless payment system was implemented by FAAN on March 1, 2026, across Nigerian airports. However, the policy triggered heavy traffic congestion at airport entrances, prompting the federal government to temporarily suspend it following public complaints.
Despite the earlier setbacks, Keyamo maintained that the government remains determined to fully digitize payment processes at airport access points in order to improve efficiency, transparency, and revenue generation.
