BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, on Friday, inspected the rollout of the hybrid payment system at the tollgate of Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
The inspection came hours after a similar exercise earlier in the day at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where the new payment arrangement has already commenced operations.
Speaking after the visit, Kuku said the exercise was in line with the directive of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to introduce a hybrid payment approach across airport tollgates nationwide.
According to her, the system allows travellers to use the automated “gold card” cashless method while still retaining the option of cash and other payment channels to ensure a smooth transition.
She noted that the Abuja tollgate recorded free flow of traffic during the morning rollout, supported by ongoing public awareness campaigns designed to educate airport users about the automated payment system.
“At the Abuja tollgate this morning, we witnessed free flow of traffic, largely supported by the sensitisation efforts to educate users about the automated payment system,” she said.
At the Lagos airport tollgate, Kuku also reported smooth vehicular movement but stressed that more public sensitisation is needed due to the airport’s high number of first-time and occasional users.
According to her, many travellers are still learning how to navigate the available payment options and gradually adopt faster automated methods.
She added that more work remains to fully integrate the system, particularly with existing concessionaires managing the toll infrastructure.
“The lessons from this rollout will guide the full integration and streamlining of the payment process in collaboration with the Ministry of Aviation,” she said.
The hybrid payment system forms part of FAAN’s broader push to modernise airport access gates, improve traffic flow and introduce more efficient digital payment options for airport users.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
