- FAAN issued more than 70,000 Go Cashless cards after initial congestion at airports following the policy rollout
- The authority apologised to passengers and explained that delays were due to last-minute registrations
- Officials advised travellers to allow extra time, noting the card is the fastest method for access at gates and facilities
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has issued more than 70,000 Go Cashless cards as part of efforts to reduce congestion and stabilise airport operations following initial disruptions caused by the rollout of its nationwide cashless payment policy.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, acknowledged the early challenges and apologised to passengers affected by the delays.
“I think first I should start by apologising. We express our profound apology for the distress some of our road users and passengers have gone through in the last two days. But the good news is we had to mitigate and make efforts to ensure that the pressure right now has reduced a bit. Things got better today, and we are hoping that in a few days’ time, things will normalise,” Agbebire said.
He explained that the authority had begun sensitisation and card onboarding as far back as October 2025, but many passengers delayed registration until the enforcement date, leading to heavy traffic at airport gates.
“To put it in context, between October last year and 28 February, we had onboarded about 30,000 cards. But as is typical, many people waited until the last minute. When the deadline came on 1 March, we had to roll out rapidly, and the pressure was heavy,” he said.
The rush intensified immediately after the policy took effect, with tens of thousands registering within days. Agbebire noted that an additional 40,000 cards were issued over the first three days of March.
He added that while four payment options are available, the Go Cashless card remains the fastest and most efficient method for access at airport gates. “The card is contactless and opens the gates quickly. Debit cards or E-tags can also be used, but they are slower, which can cause congestion,” he explained.
FAAN expects traffic conditions to improve significantly within a week and has advised travellers to allow extra time before departure. “We’ve advised passengers to factor in another 30 minutes, maybe one hour, to ensure they do not miss their flights,” Agbebire said.
The Go Cashless policy, launched in partnership with Paystack, officially took effect on 1 March 2026, ending cash payments at airport toll gates, car parks, and executive lounges. The initiative, first announced in September 2025, is designed to make transactions faster, safer, and more convenient, while improving transparency and potentially increasing revenue by up to 75 per cent.
The first day of implementation, however, witnessed congestion at Lagos and Abuja airports, with some passengers missing flights due to slower POS payments by motorists without prepaid cards. FAAN says it is confident that widespread adoption of the Go Cashless card will resolve such issues in the coming days.