Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has tendered an apology to Nigerians for the significant gridlock experienced at airport toll gates across the country. The disruptions followed the full implementation of a cashless payment policy at these entry points. The apology came on Sunday night as Mr. Keyamo received the Minister of the Year award from Silverbird Communications Ltd in Lagos.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Keyamo acknowledged the inconvenience faced by motorists and airport users after authorities began enforcing the no-cash directive. He reiterated that the government's policy is to eliminate the collection of cash at toll gates, a move that has been law for many years and is now being fully enforced. The minister explained that motorists had been repeatedly urged to obtain their bank-enabled payment cards in advance to ensure a smooth transition.

Under the new system, motorists are expected to tap their payment cards at designated points to trigger the automated barriers for passage. Mr. Keyamo emphatically stated that cash payments would no longer be accepted and warned that individuals arriving at toll gates without valid payment cards might encounter delays and "embarrassment" as they would not be permitted to pass.

The minister appealed for public cooperation, emphasizing that the cashless system is designed to enhance government revenue collection, combat corruption, and modernize airport operations nationwide. He urged Nigerians to support this reform by securing the necessary payment cards before their next airport visit. Mr. Keyamo expressed optimism that the initial teething problems would subside as public compliance with the new system increases.

The policy, which officially began on Sunday, led to considerable traffic congestion at toll gates in major airports. Officials attributed the disruptions to last-minute adjustments by motorists who were adapting to the new cashless payment method.