The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the government agency responsible for managing commercial airports across Africa’s most populous country, has announced that all cash transactions at airports nationwide will end on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
The decision was confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday, February 19, 2026, in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria in West Africa. The statement was signed by Mr Henry Agbebire, Director of Public Relations and Consumer Protection at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
According to the agency, the clarification became necessary after leaders of key aviation labour unions visited its management on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, to seek further explanations about the planned cessation of cash payments at airport facilities.
The unions involved in the discussions were the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals. These bodies represent thousands of airport workers, aviation technicians, and administrative staff across the country.
The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, said the agency is determined to fully implement a cashless system at all airport payment points nationwide. She explained that the transition aligns with global aviation management standards and follows policy directives issued by the federal government of Nigeria.
Okay News reports that the move is part of a broader public finance reform programme aimed at improving transparency and accountability in government revenue collection.
Mrs Kuku referred to a Treasury Circular dated Monday, November 24, 2025, issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and signed by the Accountant-General, Mr Shamseldeen Ogunjimi. The circular directed all government institutions to stop cash transactions in official dealings.
She also noted that the Federal Executive Council, which serves as Nigeria’s highest executive decision-making body chaired by the President, approved the discontinuation of physical cash collections and payments across Ministries, Departments and Agencies as part of wider fiscal reforms.
“There is no going back on this decision. The cashless initiative aligns FAAN with national financial management reforms.
“While positioning Nigeria’s airports for greater operational integrity, improved service delivery, and stronger revenue assurance,” she said.
The Managing Director added that the reform forms part of the authority’s broader strategy to strengthen engagement with stakeholders. She said this approach is intended to foster transparency, build trust, and ensure that unions, concessionaires, service providers, and other partners are involved in key operational decisions.
She further explained that the adoption of a cashless system would reduce financial leakages, improve transaction traceability, speed up service delivery, and increase public confidence in airport operations.
Addressing concerns about the involvement of Paystack, a Nigerian financial technology company that provides payment processing services, Mrs Kuku clarified that the firm acts only as a payment gateway. She assured stakeholders that no revenue is held in any Paystack account, as all payments made through Point of Sale terminals are transferred directly into designated federal government accounts.
At the end of the meeting, representatives of the unions expressed satisfaction with the explanations provided and acknowledged that the implementation framework was workable and practical.
