The Federal Government has temporarily suspended the newly introduced cashless tollgate system at Nigerian airports after its rollout triggered severe traffic congestion that disrupted passenger movement and travel plans.

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, disclosed on Monday that more than 100,000 airport access cards had already been issued to motorists nationwide as part of efforts to implement the new electronic payment policy.

According to Kuku, the registration process accelerated rapidly after the policy was enforced, with 62,000 cards issued within just three days. However, the sudden enforcement created significant bottlenecks at airport entry points, leaving many passengers stuck in traffic and struggling to catch their flights.

The situation prompted intervention from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who ordered that airport gates be opened immediately to allow free passage for motorists while authorities reassessed the system. The directive has remained in effect for the past five days, easing traffic around airport tollgates.

Kuku acknowledged that the initial rollout created operational challenges but said the situation began to improve as more motorists registered for the access cards.

“We’ve registered about 100,000 customers, of which 62,000 were actually done in the last three days,” she said, noting that the cashless initiative is designed to streamline access to airports and improve overall passenger experience.

Motorists have since confirmed that traffic flow has improved significantly following the suspension. One driver, Idris, said he has been passing through the airport tollgate freely for several days without encountering officials enforcing the payment system.

“I have been passing through the tollgate for about five days now, and not a single FAAN official was on the ground. I guess they are restrategising,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that the cashless system had been temporarily halted due to concerns about the inconvenience it caused to commuters and travelers.

Keyamo explained that authorities would revert to the previous payment arrangement while FAAN and the ministry work on developing a more efficient electronic solution for airport access across the country.

The incident highlights the challenges often associated with the introduction of new digital systems in critical public infrastructure, particularly when implementation is not phased gradually. Aviation stakeholders have since called for better planning, wider public sensitisation, and improved technological infrastructure before the cashless toll system is fully reinstated.