Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo has announced the end of VIP privileges that allowed influential figures to skip payments at airport access gates, blaming these exemptions for massive revenue losses.
During an inspection of the hybrid payment system at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport's tollgate in Abuja, Keyamo stated that privileges for so-called "VIPs" have cost the government dearly.
"We must not do VIP here again because half of our revenue goes to VIP," he 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 reaffirmed the push toward a fully cashless system, despite the recent introduction of a temporary hybrid model (cash and electronic payments) following President Bola Tinubu's suspension of the initial strict cashless policy due to implementation issues and traffic disruptions.
"There is no going back on the cashless system," Keyamo declared. He cited a federal directive banning cash collections by federal agencies and revealed that President Tinubu set a firm deadline for full cashless transition during a recent Federal Executive Council meeting.
"He was very clear that I have a deadline to go fully cashless," Keyamo added. "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 delegated to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Keyamo said he is now taking direct oversight to prevent sabotage and ensure effective rollout.
"I would not leave my fate in the hands of any other person," he emphasized.The reforms aim to eliminate revenue leakages, promote transparency, and eventually automate toll collection nationwide, with plans to make electronic payments more convenient and appealing than cash options.
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