The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has stated that there is no going back on the implementation of the cashless policy at all revenue points at the airports.

The Minister, while noting that the hybrid system currently in place was temporary, added that the federal government will soon transition to a fully automated payment system.

He also revealed that he has directed the officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to make the cashless payment option cheaper than cash to incentivise its use.

The Minister disclosed this during the on-the-spot assessment of the implementation of the hybrid payment policy at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja tollgate following the suspension of the cashless policy by President Bola Tinubu.

He said: “There Is no going back on the cashless system. For those who think they can frustrate the cashless system because they prefer the traditional cash collection method, we have passed that stage. In fact, there is a federal government directive on it saying that no federal agency should ever collect cash. So we have very limited time to do this hybrid system.

“We are going to go cashless. In fact, at the last Federal Executive Council meeting, Mr. President gave me a deadline. He was very clear that I have a deadline. He said, Minister of Aviation, you have a deadline to go fully cashless and the moment Mr. President pushes me, I will also push those under me.

“Before Mr. President sacks me, I will sack other people too. I will sack other people too. Before now, I left implementation fully to FAAN and the nitty-gritties were worked out by FAAN, but as the Minister, I take full responsibility and I have to take full control.

“I would not leave my fate in the hands of any other person and that is why I am here today to take my own fate into my hands and see how they are Implementing the hybrid system but this will not last.”

He also disclosed that discussions are ongoing with concessionaires to automate the payment process to curb revenue leakages.

Keyamo said: “We are discussing with concessionaires who will come and make it fully automated and electronic because the current system breeds corruption and I will not allow us to continue to collect cash.

“In the last 50 years, FAAN has been collecting cash in all their points and people are used to that corrupt system but I will not allow it to continue.

“We have set up a sub-committee to take presentations from so many concessionaires and before long, I will be back again to FEC and to Mr. President to approve a business case.

“Another incentive that I’m directing them to do now is that for people to have the incentive to buy the cards, make it cheaper than cash”.

Keyamo while noting that half of the revenue generated is lost to privileges granted to VIPs, said there will be no VIP privileges for anyone once the cashless policy is fully implemented.

According to him: “It was out of frustration that I took a memo to council in 2024 to say we must not do VIP here again because half of our revenue goes to VIP that just pass without paying. Ministers like us, National Assembly members, members of all kinds of agencies, everybody is a big man in Abuja, and in Nigeria.

“Everybody is a big man in Abuja, and I said no, we can’t do that. So as it is today, in fact, that memo will not be necessary again to say separate VIP from so-called ordinary people because everybody will have to be interacting with the machine.

“Just talk to the machine, whether you are a big man or not, pay. Pay the machine. If you don’t pay, the machine will not allow you to pass”. (The Nation)