Keyamo Ends VIP Privileges at Airport Tollgates: “Half Our Revenue Lost to ‘Big Men’ in Abuja”

By Tgnews Reporter

Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo has firmly declared an end to VIP privileges at airport access gates, blaming them for massive revenue losses under the ongoing push for a cashless payment system.

During an on-site inspection of the hybrid payment system’s rollout at the tollgate of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on March 13, 2026, Keyamo stressed that VIP exemptions where influential figures bypass payments have cost the government dearly.

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

The minister reiterated the federal government’s commitment to a fully cashless system at all revenue points in airports, in line with a directive prohibiting federal agencies from collecting cash.

He described the current hybrid arrangement allowing both cash and electronic payments as temporary, following President Bola Tinubu’s earlier suspension of the strict cashless policy due to implementation challenges like traffic gridlock.

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

He revealed that President Tinubu set a clear deadline during the last Federal Executive Council meeting for full cashless implementation.

“He was very clear that I have a deadline. He said, Minister of Aviation, you have a deadline to go fully cashless,” Keyamo stated. “The moment Mr. President pushes me, I will also push those under me. Before Mr. President sacks me, I will sack other people too.”

Previously, Keyamo had delegated much of the implementation to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), but he now says he is taking direct control and full responsibility to prevent sabotage or corruption.

“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,” he added. “But this will not last.”

The hybrid system was introduced as an interim measure after public complaints about congestion under the initial cashless rollout, which began earlier in March 2026.

Keyamo has directed FAAN to make cashless options cheaper than cash to encourage adoption, with plans for a fully automated electronic system in the near future to eliminate cash handling and associated leakages.

The minister’s comments underscore a broader effort to curb privileges for the elite and boost revenue transparency in federal operations.