Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered the immediate suspension of Very Important Person (VIP) privileges at airport access tollgates as part of efforts to enforce the Federal Government’s cashless payment policy.
The directive was issued on Friday during the minister’s inspection of the newly introduced hybrid payment system at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Speaking during the visit, Keyamo expressed concern that VIP exemptions were significantly reducing government revenue, stressing that the era of special treatment at airport tollgates must end.
According to him, many individuals in Abuja claim special status and avoid paying access fees, a situation he said had affected revenue generation.
“We must not do VIP here again because half of our revenue goes to VIP. Everybody is a big man in Abuja; that’s the problem. There’s hardly anybody you see in Abuja who doesn’t have ‘FG’ printed on their business card,” he said.
The minister reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to the cashless system being implemented by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, emphasizing that the policy would be fully enforced.
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He revealed that Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given him a deadline to ensure the complete transition to a cashless payment system at airports across the country.
Keyamo noted that while the hybrid payment system is currently being used, the long-term goal remains a fully cashless operation.
He also stated that he would personally supervise the implementation process to ensure compliance, warning that officials who fail to deliver on the policy could face disciplinary action.
The Federal Government had earlier announced the introduction of a cashless payment policy at Nigerian airports beginning March 1, 2026. However, the rollout initially led to severe traffic gridlock at airport entrances, prompting President Tinubu to temporarily suspend the policy to allow authorities review and improve the system
