The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said that the full enforcement of electronic payments and collections at the nation's airports will block revenue leakages and curb sharp practices.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku, disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing journalists after her appearance before the House of Representatives Committee on Finance on Tuesday in Abuja.
This is coming amidst the implementation of the cashless policy at airports' tollgates with attendant gridlocks and frustrations expressed by passengers.
The Committee, chaired by James Abiodun Faleke, is currently undertaking a Revenue Monitoring Exercise covering the 2023-2025 fiscal years, with a focus on strengthening revenue accountability among government agencies.
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Kuku explained that FAAN has deployed comprehensive mechanisms to ensure that all revenues generated at airports particularly at toll gates and other collection points are efficiently captured, transparently processed, and fully remitted to the Federal Government.
According to her, the move is in line with the Federal Government's broader fiscal reform agenda aimed at plugging financial leakages, enhancing transparency, and improving internally generated revenue across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
She noted that although the enforcement of the cashless regime has caused temporary inconvenience for some airport users, the reform is both strategic and long overdue.
"This initiative is about accountability and sustainability. We are ensuring that every kobo due to the Federal Government is collected without leakages, while also improving operational efficiency," she said.
Kuku clarified that the transition did not begin abruptly.
She said preparatory steps, including public sensitisation campaigns, advertisements, and stakeholder engagements, commenced in mid-2025 to adequately prepare airport users for the shift from cash transactions to electronic payments.
"The enforcement itself only commenced on Sunday," she explained, adding that the renewed momentum followed directives to strengthen collection mechanisms and eliminate systemic leakages.
While acknowledging the traffic congestion witnessed at some airport toll gates in the early days of implementation, Kuku described the situation as a temporary adjustment phase.
She appealed to Nigerians for patience and cooperation, assuring that the system would stabilise as more users adopt the various electronic payment channels available.
