The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says its cashless payment policy at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport is still running on a hybrid system because many users are yet to fully embrace it.
Speaking with Arewa Raio, Head of Commercial at the airport, Abduljalal Lamurde, explained that the cashless policy is not a FAAN initiative but a Federal Government policy that has been in place for more than a decade.
According to him, FAAN is implementing the policy to automate its payment processes and improve revenue collection by reducing the use of physical cash.
He said the authority remits 40 per cent of its revenue to the Federal Government, making it important to block leakages and ensure transparent payment systems.
Lamurde said the cashless system covers more than the airport access gate, noting that payments for other FAAN services are also being automated.
He, however, said FAAN is currently operating a hybrid system because many airport users were not aware of the policy when implementation began.
He urged members of the public to make payments through Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals, bank transfers or the newly introduced Paystack wallet.
According to him, the wallet is dedicated to FAAN and can be used at airports across the country for payments after it has been funded.
He also said users can obtain and load a FAAN cashless card, which can be used to pay for services at any FAAN airport nationwide.
Speaking on the challenges, Lamurde said many people are still used to paying with cash and are finding it difficult to adjust to electronic payments.
He added that limited awareness and low digital literacy among some drivers and other airport users have also slowed acceptance of the policy.
Despite the challenges, he said FAAN would continue to educate the public until more people become comfortable with the system.
Lamurde appealed to airport users to embrace the cashless policy, saying it would help reduce revenue leakages, improve transparency and make transactions safer.
He added that the hybrid arrangement would eventually be phased out, making cashless payment the only option for accessing FAAN services.
According to him, cashless transactions represent the future of financial services in Nigeria and users should prepare for the transition.
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