Keyamo says there is ‘no turning back’ on a cashless system. airport policy

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said on Friday that the Federal Government will continue its cashless policy at the country’s airports.

Keyamo said this during a direct assessment of the government’s newly adopted hybrid payment system at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

This hybrid payment was adopted following President Bola Tinubu’s directive to end the full implementation of cashless at airports.

The minister, however, explained that the government is only considering people who have not yet obtained Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) cashless cards for cash use pending the country’s full migration to the cashless system.

READ ALSO: Keyamo approves cash and card payments at airport gates after traffic jam

He said: “We decided to go back to the planning stages to see what we could do to prevent a loss of revenue and ease traffic.

“That’s the reason why we created this hybrid system now.

“So those who already have a card can continue to use their card because the money goes directly into the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which is a federation account.

“Look, the cashless system cannot be overturned. It’s too late for those who think they can overturn the cashless system because they like the cash collection system.

“The nation has passed such a stage. The time left for a hybrid system is limited.”

The minister reiterated the federal government’s existing directive that no federal agency should collect cash.

He revealed that the government had started discussions with the concessionaires who would come and make the airport fully automated.

He reiterated the government’s determination to end the corrupt cash payment system at the country’s airports that has persisted for 50 years.

President Tinubu a few days ago ordered the temporary suspension of the cashless payment system at airport toll gates due to its sudden implementation.

The rushed implementation has led to severe traffic jams and long vehicle queues, making it difficult for motorists to complete electronic payments quickly.