FAAN to enforce cashless payments at all Airports from March 1

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced that it will no longer accept cash at any of its pay points nationwide starting Sunday, March 1, 2026.

The decision was disclosed in a statement issued by the authority on Friday, as part of its ongoing “Operation Go Cashless” initiative aimed at fully digitising airport transactions across the country.

According to FAAN, the new policy will apply to all payment points under its control, including access gates, car parks, and executive or VIP lounges at both international and domestic airports. From the effective date, all transactions must be completed through digital payment channels.

“In line with the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria, effective March 1st, 2026, cash will no longer be accepted at any FAAN pay point. That means at all our international and local airports—from access gates to car parks, and executive lounge entries—every transaction must be digital,” the statement read in part.

The authority explained that the move aligns with the cashless policy directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which encourages digital transactions across public services to enhance transparency and efficiency.

FAAN advised passengers and airport visitors to obtain and use their payment cards at access gates and lounges to benefit from the “Tap and Go” system. The contactless solution enables users to complete payments swiftly, reducing queues and improving traffic flow at high-volume areas.

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The agency reassured travellers that the system is secure and designed to improve convenience, speed up service delivery, and eliminate risks associated with cash handling.

Passengers seeking further clarification were directed to FAAN information desks at airports nationwide or to visit the authority’s official website.

The cashless transition follows a pilot phase launched in September 2025 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

The two airports were selected for the initial rollout due to their high passenger and vehicular traffic, with more than 300,000 vehicles reportedly passing through their access gates monthly.

FAAN noted that the VIP lounges at both airports also serve thousands of travellers annually, making them strategic revenue points for the first phase of the digital payment system.

The phased rollout plan aims to extend the system to all FAAN-controlled airports by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

Under the initiative, FAAN partnered with Paystack, a leading digital payments company, to deploy contactless terminals at access gates, car parks, and lounges. Payments are processed instantly using NFC-enabled cards, eliminating the need for physical cash transactions.

The authority projected that the new system would significantly modernise airport operations, enhance accountability, and curb revenue leakages. During the pilot stage in Lagos and Abuja, FAAN anticipated a 50 per cent increase in revenue collection, with expectations of rising to 75 per cent as additional payment points are integrated. The long-term target is to triple revenue within one year of full nationwide implementation.

FAAN added that by removing manual cash handling, the system would reduce operational bottlenecks, improve passenger experience, and strengthen overall service quality at Nigeria’s busiest airports.