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.”
