Reversal of cashless airport policy not an option, insists Keyamo

Mr Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has confirmed that the cashless policy at the nation's airports is irreversible, emphasizing that there will be no reversal of the decision.

n

This affirmation was made by Keyamo on Friday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where he conducted an on-site assessment of the newly introduced hybrid payment system.

n

The hybrid payment system was adopted following a directive by President Bola Tinubu to suspend the full implementation of the cashless policy, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.

n

Keyamo explained that the government's consideration of individuals who have not yet obtained the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria cashless card is the reason for the temporary allowance of cash usage, pending the country's transition to a fully cashless system.

n

According to Keyamo, the decision to adopt the hybrid system was made to prevent revenue loss and alleviate traffic congestion, stating "we decided to go back to the drawing boards to see what we can do to prevent revenue loss and ease the traffic."

n

He further stated that the introduction of the hybrid system was a deliberate move, saying "that was the reason why we came up with this hybrid system now," which allows cardholders to continue using their cards for payments.

n

Keyamo emphasized that payments made using the cards will be directly deposited into the Treasury Single Account, which is the federation account, adding "so, those who have the cards already can continue using their cards; as such, money goes straight into the Treasury Single Account.

n

He stressed that the cashless system is here to stay, warning that "there is no going back on the cashless system," and that it is too late for those who want to revert to the old cash collection system.

n

Keyamo reiterated the federal government's directive that no federal agency should collect cash, emphasizing that the government has moved past the stage of cash-based transactions, saying "this nation has passed such a stage."

n

He disclosed that the government has begun discussing with concessionaires to fully automate the airports, reiterating the government's commitment to stopping the corrupt cash payment system that has been in place for 50 years.

n

The minister's comments come after President Bola Tinubu directed the temporary suspension of the cashless payment system at airport toll gates due to its sudden implementation, which caused severe traffic congestion and long queues.

n

The rushed implementation of the cashless system led to passengers arriving late at terminals and missing their flights, resulting in hardship and operational disruptions at major airports.