President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the suspension of the cashless foreign exchange payment system recently introduced at Nigeria’s international airports, the Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning said in a statement on Thursday.
The directive affects customs duty and other related payments that had been shifted entirely to cashless channels (Point-of-Sale devices) at airports across the country — a move earlier aimed at reducing cash handling and improving revenue tracking.
The ministry said the suspension is temporary, adding that further engagement with stakeholders, including the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and relevant aviation authorities, will guide a new implementation timeline and procedures.
In his directive, President Tinubu emphasised the need to ensure convenience for travelers, particularly as the policy had generated confusion and complaints from passengers and clearing agents over the abrupt shift from cash to electronic payments.
Officials said the suspension will remain in force until all necessary systems and stakeholder alignments are completed, and that a new rollout plan likely with phased implementation and better communication would be unveiled soon.
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