Motorists, Passengers Stranded as FAAN Enforces Cashless Toll Policy at Lagos Airport

Traffic around the tollgate leading to Murtala Muhammed Airport was heavily disrupted on Sunday following the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) enforcement of a new cashless payment system for vehicles entering the airport.

The move caused long traffic jams, leaving hundreds of motorists and air passengers stranded, while access to both domestic and international terminals was severely affected.

FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, confirmed the policy change, explaining that the cashless system aims to prevent revenue leakages.

The congestion led some travelers to abandon their vehicles and switch to motorcycles to reach the airport on time. Commercial motorcyclists reportedly took advantage of the situation, increasing fares by up to 200%.

Motorists reported waiting up to 20 minutes at the tollgate for transactions that normally take less than a minute, fueling frustration. Some drivers were seen in heated exchanges with toll officials over failed electronic transfers and delayed payment confirmations.

Many accused FAAN of rolling out the system without sufficient public awareness. One affected motorist, Adebayo Awojobi, said he had been stuck in traffic for nearly an hour and expressed concern about how much worse congestion could be on weekdays, noting that officials appeared unprepared for the high volume of users.

However, Agbebire rejected claims of inadequate sensitization, stressing that the cashless system aligns with the Federal Government’s push for a cashless economy. He added that the policy is designed to curb extortion, improve transparency, and increase FAAN’s revenue.

The spokesman noted that some of the chaos was due to motorists delaying compliance. FAAN has ensured that sufficient access cards are available, which are issued free but carry a maintenance fee of N500 once loaded with N1,000 or N2,000.

“The card itself is issued free of charge, but once it is loaded with N2,000 or N1,000, a maintenance fee of N500 is deducted,” Agbebire explained.