Even as President Bola Tinubu ordered the suspension of the cashless toll gate policy at airports, commuters compliance figures tell a different story.
A review of official data shows that over 100,804 commuters registered under the Go Cashless transport system between October 1 and March 3. The numbers reveal sustained momentum despite the policy pause at airport gates.
More striking is the concentration of registrations in the final days before the suspension. Between February 28 and March 3, 44,013 commuters signed up. That represents 43.66 per cent of the total enrolment achieved in five months.
The comparison is revealing. While 56,791 commuters registered over several months, 44,013 joined in just three days. Therefore, nearly half of the entire commuter base entered the system within a compressed enforcement window.
President Tinubu’s directive followed widespread gridlock at major airports, including Lagos and Abuja. Aviation Minister, Mr. Festus Keyamo, confirmed that the President intervened out of concern for stranded passengers and missed flights.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, had earlier implemented the cashless toll system to eliminate corruption and optimise federal revenue. However, the rapid rollout created operational bottlenecks at access gates.
Mr. Keyamo clarified that the suspension does not signal abandonment of the reform. Instead, the government will revert temporarily to a hybrid system while refining the electronic framework. The President directed that private sector participation be explored to ensure efficiency without causing gridlock.
Commuters and Cashless Compliance Momentum
Despite the pause at airport toll points, the broader compliance drive appears to have taken root among commuters. The spike in registrations suggests that enforcement triggered behavioural change before the suspension announcement.
Financial analysts note that digitising fare payments strengthens revenue traceability. A cash-heavy model exposes collections to leakages and underreporting. By onboarding over 100,804 commuters into a monitored ecosystem, authorities expand transaction visibility.
The addition of 44,013 commuters in three days significantly widens the accountable revenue base. Even if toll gate implementation is temporarily halted, the commuter enrolment data demonstrates public responsiveness to structured enforcement.
The development aligns with a wider Federal Government push to eliminate physical cash handling across Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Aviation authorities continue to emphasise that the objective remains transparency, efficiency, and revenue assurance.
Indeed, the cashless model mirrors international best practice encouraged by the International Civil Aviation Organization. However, implementation speed has now become the key lesson.
Officials say the next phase will prioritise system optimisation before full reactivation. Meanwhile, the commuter data provides measurable evidence that compliance momentum exists beyond the airport toll controversy.
Ultimately, two realities now sit side by side. A presidential suspension addressed immediate public discomfort. At the same time, 100,804 registered commuters demonstrate that the cashless reform has already achieved significant traction.
If refined and reintroduced efficiently, the figures suggest that adoption may accelerate even further. For now, the numbers show that while the gates may pause, the compliance surge among commuters has not.
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