President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of the controversial cashless toll payment system recently introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at major airports nationwide.

The directive came just four days after the policy took effect on March 1, 2026, following severe gridlock, public outrage, and widespread disruption at key airport hubs in Lagos, Abuja, and other locations.

The suspension was confirmed by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo after a Federal Executive Council meeting, where he stated that the President had instructed authorities to “go back to the drawing board and restrategize on the policy.”

The initiative, branded “Operation Go Cashless,” sought to eliminate cash payments at all FAAN-controlled service points, including toll gates, airport car parks, and executive lounges.

To support the transition, FAAN introduced multiple digital payment channels such as the Go Cashless Card, E-Tag for frequent users, VIP vehicle stickers, and ATM or debit card payments via POS terminals.

Travelers and motorists were encouraged to obtain the Go Cashless card at commercial offices, airport access gates, or through an online portal, promoting a “Tap and Go” system intended to speed up transactions and reduce queues.

FAAN, which partnered with Paystack and initially unveiled the policy in September 2025, argued that the system would eliminate corruption, improve transparency, and boost airport revenue generation.

Authorities projected that the reform could increase revenue by as much as 75 percent by reducing the leakages associated with manual cash handling.

The initiative was also linked to broader Federal Government efforts to digitize public revenue collection in line with financial modernization policies supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

In practice, however, the rollout quickly descended into operational chaos.

Motorists without prepaid cards struggled to access airport premises, while POS terminals experienced delays due to banking network issues.

The result was massive traffic congestion stretching beyond airport gates, leaving passengers stranded for hours and causing many to miss flights or experience delayed pickups.

Despite the suspension, Minister Keyamo emphasized that the government has not abandoned the plan to eliminate cash collections at airport gates, describing the pause as a strategic reassessment while authorities refine a more workable implementation approach.