Frustration mounted at major airport access roads on Tuesday as desperate air travelers reportedly abandoned their vehicles in a bid to beat heavy traffic triggered by the implementation of a new cashless tollgate policy.
The policy, introduced to promote seamless electronic payments and reduce cash handling at airport entry points, has instead led to long queues of vehicles as motorists struggled with payment platforms, insufficient balances, and technical glitches.
Eyewitnesses said several passengers, worried about missing their flights, alighted from private cars and commercial vehicles, dragging their luggage on foot toward terminal buildings.
“I had no choice,” said a traveler who was headed for a morning departure. “The queue wasn’t moving, and boarding had already started.”
The gridlock was particularly severe during peak hours, with vehicles stretching several kilometers from the tollgate. Some drivers complained that point-of-sale terminals were slow, while others said they were unaware that cash payments had been discontinued.
Airport officials defended the cashless initiative, describing it as part of broader efforts to modernize infrastructure, enhance transparency, and improve revenue collection.
They, however, acknowledged temporary disruptions and assured travelers that measures were being put in place to ease traffic flow.
Read also:Cashless policy: FAAN bans cash transactions nationwide
Aviation analysts noted that while cashless systems are globally recognized as more efficient, poor sensitization and inadequate infrastructure could undermine public confidence.
By midday, security personnel were seen directing traffic and advising passengers to make alternative arrangements where possible.
Authorities also urged travelers to arrive much earlier than usual to avoid missing scheduled departures.
The situation highlights the growing pains associated with digital transitions in public infrastructure, especially in high-pressure environments such as airports where timing is critical.
Meanwhile, the Airport Manager, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja, Mr Ahmed Danjuma has said no fewer than 10,000 ”Go Cashless” cards have been registered by the airport since the commencement of implementation.
Danjuma made this known in an interview with newsman on Tuesday in Abuja.
He explained that the temporary gridlocks experienced on Monday and early hours of Tuesday at the toll gate, was as a result of the full implementation of a cashless toll policy nationwide.
According to him, though the registration started since Aug. 2025, majority of the airport users didn’t bother to come for registration on time, and this was in spite of the sensitisation carried out by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
”Since March 1, we went cashless in line with the policy of this government to eliminate the collection of cash at toll gates. The move aligns with the Federal Government’s broader reforms.
”The policy aims to enhance transparency and revenue optimisation which no previous administration fully implemented.
”We have been announcing it before now for airport users to get their FAAN cards, so that when you get to the gate, you just tap and the barrier opens.
”Now, If you go to any FAAN gate and you want to pay cash, you will be disappointed because nobody will allow you to pass through.
