Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered the removal of VIP privileges at airport access gates as part of the federal government’s reinstated cashless and hybrid payment system.

The minister announced the directive on Friday during an inspection visit to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to assess the implementation of the new payment system.

Keyamo said the government remains committed to enforcing the cashless policy introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, stressing that exemptions for VIPs have led to significant revenue losses.

According to him, VIP access has been widely abused in Abuja, where many individuals claim government status.

“There will be no VIP treatment at the airport gates again because a large portion of our revenue is lost through such privileges. 

“In Abuja, almost everyone claims to be important, with ‘FG’ written on their business cards as SA, SSA or other titles,” he said.

The minister insisted that the transition to a cashless system is irreversible, adding that he has been given a deadline to fully implement the policy.

“At the last Federal Executive Council meeting, the President made it clear that I have a deadline to ensure full implementation of the cashless system,” he said.

Keyamo also noted that he has taken direct control of the implementation process, explaining that he would personally oversee the operations rather than leaving the responsibility entirely to FAAN.

The federal government had earlier introduced a cashless payment policy at airports nationwide on March 1, 2026.

However, Bola Ahmed Tinubu later ordered a temporary suspension of the policy after it caused traffic gridlock at several airports across the country.

Authorities have since adopted a hybrid payment system as they work toward full implementation of the cashless policy.