FAAN cashless toll policy triggers gridlock in Lagos, Abuja

Passengers and motorists were left stranded for hours on Sunday as heavy traffic congestion followed the commencement of a cashless toll payment system introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at major airports in Lagos and Abuja.

The policy, which took effect on March 1, 2026, eliminates cash payments at airport toll gates, mandating motorists to use prepaid access cards or approved electronic payment channels.

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, long queues reportedly stretched from the toll gate toward Oshodi and adjoining access roads, as many drivers rushed to obtain the newly introduced access cards.

Similar scenes were witnessed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where frustrated travellers complained of delayed pickups and missed flights.

Motorists who arrived unaware of the strict enforcement were turned back at the toll gates and directed to designated registration points. The on-the-spot registration process — which involved filling forms, scanning QR codes and loading funds — further worsened the gridlock.

Under the system, the access card is issued free of charge, but users must load a minimum of N1,000 or N2,000 to activate it. A N500 maintenance fee is deducted upon loading. While FAAN also accepts Point of Sale (POS) payments, officials admitted that such transactions slow down traffic compared to the tap-and-go card system.

A cab driver at Abuja Airport, Musa Bello, said one of his passengers had to pay N5,000 to a commercial motorcyclist to beat the traffic and avoid missing a flight. Some travellers argued that the policy should have been introduced in phases to allow for smoother adaptation.

FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, attributed the congestion to last-minute compliance by airport users. According to him, the authority had widely publicised the cashless directive, but many motorists waited until enforcement day to register.

He reiterated that cash payments are no longer accepted and urged frequent airport users to obtain and preload their cards ahead of travel. The policy, FAAN maintained, is aimed at blocking revenue leakages and aligning with the Federal Government’s directive on electronic revenue collection across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The authority stressed that the cashless regime is now fully operational at the country’s busiest airports.