Federal Government has approved the rollout of a contactless biometric passenger verification system, known as VPASS, across Nigeria’s domestic airports.
The move is aimed at tightening aviation security, improving data integrity, and boosting revenue generation.
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, announced the initiative in a statement released on Thursday by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Chindaya Adamu.
He described VPASS as a comprehensive reform designed to eliminate discrepancies in passenger records and curb unauthorised boarding.
“The system will ensure that all passengers on domestic flights are properly identified, thereby closing existing gaps that allow individuals to bypass standard identification procedures,” Keyamo said.
He disclosed that while strict identity checks already apply to international travel, VPASS will extend similar standards to domestic operations and eventually private aviation.
The minister stressed that implementation would begin with infrastructure deployment by the concessionaire, followed by a nationwide sensitisation campaign to ensure public awareness and compliance.
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He commended the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for their support in advancing the project.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mahmud Kambari, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to modernising aviation through technology-driven solutions that enhance efficiency, security, and passenger experience.
FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Adebola Agunbiade, described VPASS as a strategic step towards eliminating reliance on physical identification, adding that secure facial recognition technology would enable seamless passenger processing in line with global standards.
Johnson Ewalefoh, Director General of the ICRC, welcomed the Public-Private Partnership underpinning the project, stressing the importance of accountability and timely delivery.
Meanwhile, Adebayo Bankole, CEO of VERXID Technologies Limited, assured that the company would deploy a secure identity management system to strengthen verification, restrict unauthorised movement within airport facilities, and support revenue assurance through accurate data analytics.
The announcement comes weeks after the controversial rollout of a cashless payment system at airport access gates, which caused severe traffic congestion at prominent airports in Abuja and Lagos.
Recall that the disruption led President Bola Tinubu to suspend the policy, ordering a review and the introduction of a hybrid arrangement allowing both cash and electronic payments.