Gridlock: Tinubu Suspends Cashless Toll System, Approves Second Runway
Mr. President was very concerned about the welfare of Nigerians and the fact that many people were missing their flights,” Keyamo said.
The Federal Government has suspended the newly introduced cashless payment system at airport toll gates across Nigeria following widespread traffic congestion that left many passengers stranded and caused several to miss their flights.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the suspension, explaining that the decision was taken on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after complaints of severe gridlock at major airports, particularly in Lagos and Abuja.
Keyamo said the cashless toll system, introduced less than a week ago, was designed to curb corruption and improve revenue generation for the Federal Government.
For more than five decades, toll collections at airport gates and parking facilities had been handled through cash payments managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). However, the sudden transition to a fully electronic payment system triggered operational challenges that resulted in long queues of vehicles and traffic bottlenecks at airport entry points.
According to the minister, President Tinubu expressed deep concern over the hardship the new system had imposed on travellers and ordered its immediate suspension.
“Mr. President was very concerned about the welfare of Nigerians and the fact that many people were missing their flights,” Keyamo said.
“Out of empathy, he directed today that we should suspend the present system because it creates a lot of gridlock and Nigerians are suffering as a result of it.”
He added that the President directed the Aviation Ministry to revert temporarily to the previous payment arrangement while authorities work on improving the electronic system.
“Mr. President directed me that we should go back to the drawing board and suspend the present system whereby people have to pay through the various means we have introduced at the various gates across the country and then go and perfect the system properly,” the minister stated.
Keyamo further noted that the President instructed that the review process should be completed within a short time and that the ministry must provide regular updates on the progress of the reforms.
In the interim, a hybrid payment arrangement will be implemented at airport toll gates, allowing motorists to pay either in cash or through the existing FAAN cards.
The minister also revealed that the Federal Government plans to involve private sector operators in the development and management of a more efficient electronic revenue collection system. Under the proposed arrangement, private partners may receive commissions for managing the platform to ensure seamless operation and eliminate the bottlenecks experienced under the current system.
He assured that the return to cash payments would only be temporary until a more reliable and efficient electronic tolling system is fully developed and deployed.
Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a revised plan for the long-delayed construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Keyamo explained that the project had previously stalled due to several factors, including foreign exchange fluctuations, compensation payments for economic trees and other encumbrances, additional technical requirements identified by consultants, and the need to restructure the project scope.
According to the minister, the approved project components include the construction of the runway, taxiways, links, perimeter fencing and access roads. The project will also involve the procurement and installation of airfield lighting systems, navigational aids, communication and meteorological equipment.
Other aspects of the project include the provision of power infrastructure such as a dedicated power station and switch room, as well as the procurement of operational vehicles, complementary equipment and spare parts required for the runway’s operation.
Keyamo confirmed that President Tinubu has approved all the necessary components of the project, clearing the way for the resumption and eventual completion of the Abuja airport’s second runway.
He added that further briefings would be provided after consultations with FAAN regarding the transition to a more efficient airport toll payment system.
