Passengers, motorists stranded as Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport goes fully cashless

Traffic congestion and confusion trailed the full implementation of a cashless payment system at the entrance gates of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) on Sunday, leaving many passengers and motorists stranded.

The disruption followed the official rollout of the “Go Cashless” card scheme by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), making it mandatory for motorists to possess the card before gaining access to the airport premises.

Motorists without the required card were denied entry and forced either to queue for on-the-spot registration or turn back. Findings indicated that the gridlock extended into Monday, with several passengers reportedly struggling to meet up with their flights.

Despite public awareness campaigns said to have commenced in 2025, many drivers claimed they were unaware that the system would take immediate effect at the airport gates.

“I have been plying this route every day and I hear of cashless, but I didn’t know it would start from the entrance gate,” one commuter, John Ameh, told Journalists.

Another motorist, Chinedu Okeke, described the rollout as abrupt. “The lines are terrible. Not everyone has a debit card compatible with the system. The technology isn’t ready for such a sudden launch,” he said.

In a statement shared on its social media platforms, FAAN apologised for the inconvenience and acknowledged the traffic build-up at the access gates.

“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to sincerely appreciate all motorists and airport users as the FAAN Go Cashless Programme officially comes into full operation today at the access gates of the MMIA and the NAIA in alignment with the federal government’s directive on cashless transactions,” the Authority stated.

“We acknowledge the traffic build-up experienced at the access gates today. Despite the wide publicity, notices, and repeated announcements issued ahead of the commencement date, a significant number of motorists opted to register for their Go Cashless cards at the gates this morning. This understandably created pressure on the toll lanes and resulted in temporary gridlock,” FAAN added, noting that while initial challenges were anticipated, it had provided ample notice for early registration.

To ease congestion, FAAN said it deployed additional personnel to the gates, expanded registration points for first-time card issuance, and strengthened on-ground coordination to improve traffic flow. “We appeal for your patience, understanding, and cooperation as we work diligently to stabilise and streamline the process. This transition is designed to deliver long-term benefits, faster processing, improved transparency, reduced cash handling risks, and a more efficient airport environment for all,” the statement read.

However, reactions from commuters remained mixed. Musa, an airport user, described the situation as chaotic. “Unbelievable mess at the NAIA toll gate this morning. First day of cashless transactions. The queues are terrible. How many people have tap to pay debit cards? We’re not ready for this. Network is slow, the technology is not there,” he said.

Another passenger, Rita Nwankwo, expressed concern about the timing of the rollout. “It’s going to take some time for everyone to adjust. But the system needs proper testing before rolling out. People are already late for flights,” she said, while a frequent airport driver, Emeka Uzo, argued that stricter enforcement should have preceded implementation. “They should have made it mandatory weeks ago, not spring it on everyone today. It’s causing chaos and unnecessary stress,” he said.