By Deborah Nnamdi
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has announced that it will no longer accept cash at any of its pay points, including access gates, car parks and executive lounges, beginning Sunday, March 1, 2026.
The decision was disclosed in a statement issued by the authority on Friday, as part of its “Operation Go Cashless” initiative aimed at making airport transactions faster, safer and fully digital.
According to FAAN, all passengers and airport visitors at its controlled airports will be required to make payments electronically. The directive covers entry through access gates, parking fees and charges for executive and VIP lounge services.
The authority said the move aligns with the cashless policy drive of the Central Bank of Nigeria to promote digital transactions across public services.
“In line with the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria, effective March 1, 2026, cash will no longer be accepted at any FAAN pay point. That means at all our international and local airports—from access gates to car parks and executive lounge entries—every transaction must be digital,” the statement said.
Passengers were advised to obtain their cards at access gates and lounges to take advantage of the “Tap and Go” system, which allows for swift, contactless payments and reduced waiting time. FAAN assured travelers that the digital payment system is secure and designed to enhance convenience.
For further inquiries, passengers and visitors were directed to FAAN information desks at airports or to the authority’s official website.
The cashless initiative builds on an earlier rollout launched in September 2025 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The two airports were selected for the pilot phase due to their high traffic volumes, with more than 300,000 vehicles passing through their access gates monthly, while their VIP lounges serve thousands of travelers each year.
FAAN said the phased rollout is expected to cover all its airports by the first quarter of 2026, with the goal of eliminating cash transactions at major revenue points nationwide.
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with Paystack, which provides contactless terminals at access gates, car parks and lounges. Payments are processed instantly using NFC-enabled cards.
FAAN projected that the system would modernize airport operations, improve efficiency and strengthen accountability by eliminating human handling of cash and reducing leakages. At the pilot stage in Lagos and Abuja, the authority anticipated a 50 per cent increase in revenue collection, rising to 75 per cent as more payment points are integrated, with a long-term target of tripling revenue within one year of full implementation.
The authority added that the cashless system is expected to significantly enhance service quality and speed up passenger flow in high-traffic areas.
