Keyamo Abolishes VIP Privileges at Airport Tollgates, Vows Full Cashless System

By Onwe Wisdom, Pan Afric Reporters

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo  has ordered an immediate end to VIP privileges at airport tollgates, declaring that the practice has significantly undermined government revenue and accountability within the aviation sector

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The minister made the declaration during an on-site inspection of the newly introduced hybrid payment system at the tollgate of  Namdi Azikiwe International Airport , Abuja the nation’s capital.

According to Keyamo, allowing politically exposed persons and other influential individuals to bypass payment at airport access gates has cost the government substantial revenue over the years.

“We must not do VIP here again because half of our revenue goes to VIP. Everybody is a big man in Abuja, that’s the problem,” the minister said. “There’s hardly anybody you see in Abuja who doesn’t have FG printed on their business card, whether SA, SSA, or SSTTA.”

Keyamo stressed that the Federal Government is determined to enforce a transparent and efficient payment regime at all airport facilities, warning that the era of cash-based toll collections and unofficial exemptions is coming to an end.

He noted that the ongoing hybrid payment arrangement—combining electronic and transitional systems—would soon give way to a fully cashless operation in line with federal policy directives.

“There is no going back on the cashless system,” he said. “For those who think they can frustrate it because they prefer the traditional cash collection method, we have passed that stage.”

The minister explained that a standing Federal Government directive already prohibits ministries, departments and agencies from collecting cash payments, adding that the aviation sector must comply within a specified timeline.

Keyamo revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has personally set a deadline for the aviation ministry to fully implement the cashless payment system across airports nationwide.

“At the last Federal Executive Council meeting, Mr. President gave me a deadline. He was very clear that I have a deadline to go fully cashless,” he stated.

The minister also warned that officials responsible for delays or sabotage in the implementation process would face consequences.

“Before Mr. President sacks me, I will sack other people too,” Keyamo said, emphasizing that accountability will be enforced across agencies under his supervision.

He disclosed that while the operational details of the hybrid system had previously been handled by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), he has now decided to take a more direct role in ensuring effective implementation.

“Before now, I left the implementation fully to FAAN and the nitty-gritties were worked out by them,” he said. “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.”

Keyamo added that his visit to the airport was aimed at personally assessing how the system is being implemented and ensuring that all operational loopholes are addressed before the final transition to a fully cashless system.

The move is part of broader reforms by the administration of President Tinubu to strengthen transparency, plug revenue leakages and modernize service delivery across key sectors of the Nigerian economy.