Keyamo decries revenue loss as VIPs bypass airport fees

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has raised alarm over significant revenue losses at the nation’s airports, blaming the situation on the widespread practice of high-profile individuals bypassing payment at entry gates.

The minister made the remarks during an inspection visit to the access control points at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where he assessed the performance of a newly introduced hybrid payment system.

Keyamo disclosed that nearly half of the airport’s gate revenue is lost because ministers, lawmakers, and other government officials routinely pass through without paying.

According to him, the long-standing practice has persisted for years and must be halted to protect public funds.

“We must not do VIP here again because half of our revenue goes to VIPs that are just passing without paying,” he said, noting that many individuals in Abuja claim official status to secure free access.

The minister lamented that numerous people present government identification or claim affiliations with federal agencies to avoid paying access charges.

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Keyamo further revealed that President Bola Tinubu has directed the aviation sector to transition fully to a cashless payment system within a specified timeframe.

He explained that although implementation had initially been left to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), he has now taken personal oversight of the process to ensure compliance.

While the current arrangement allows both cash and electronic payments, the minister stressed that the hybrid model is only an interim solution.

He argued that continued cash transactions create opportunities for corruption and leakages in revenue collection.

“This will not last because it breeds corruption for us to continue to collect cash,” he said, adding that manual cash collection at airport points had been entrenched for decades.

Keyamo maintained that a fully digital system would enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency across airport operations.

Earlier in March, President Tinubu directed FAAN to suspend the immediate enforcement of a cashless-only policy following reports of severe traffic congestion at airport entrances nationwide.

In response, Keyamo instructed the agency to temporarily revert to cash payments while accommodating travellers who already possess FAAN electronic access cards.

The minister said the hybrid approach was introduced to ease the transition while long-term solutions are implemented.

Keyamo’s comments highlight broader efforts by the federal government to reform Nigeria’s aviation industry, improve revenue generation, and curb systemic abuses.

Observers say stricter enforcement of payment rules—regardless of status—could significantly boost internally generated revenue and reduce opportunities for financial leakages at the country’s busiest airports.