Christmas Holiday: FAAN Moves Against Staff Extortion, Passenger Solicitation by Officials
- The management of FAAN has pledged to punish officials engaged in begging and extortion at the airport during the Christmas holiday, stressing a zero-tolerance policy on unethical conduct
- FAAN said it has activated additional measures to manage increased passenger traffic during the yuletide season, with over 80 extra security personnel deployed to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos
- The agency states that passenger support teams and inter-agency coordination have been strengthened to reduce delays and congestion
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it has activated internal controls to curb illicit solicitation and extortion by its staff, stressing that the agency maintains a zero-tolerance policy on such conduct.
FAAN warned that any official found engaging in extortion or “corporate begging” would be made to face disciplinary action.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, Henry Agbebire, disclosed this in an interview with The Sun.
Source: Getty Images
He noted that the authority had anticipated a significant increase in passenger movement during the Christmas and New Year period.
He also disclosed that FAAN has introduced additional operational and security measures to manage increased passenger traffic during the peak of the yuletide travel season, with special focus on the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
According to the FAAN spokesperson, the measures are aimed at easing congestion, improving passenger experience and preventing unethical practices by airport officials as travel activity rises nationwide.
FAAN assures traffic management
On traffic management, Agbebire explained that the agency’s planning was guided by advanced passenger traffic forecasts, which showed a notable surge in travel demand during the festive season.
He added that the planned shutdown of Terminal 1 for renovation after the holidays has further complicated operations.
To minimise congestion, he said the Managing Director of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku, approved the deployment of more than 80 additional security personnel at MMIA.
The officers are tasked with crowd control and traffic management, particularly during peak arrival periods.
Temporary terminal to be completed soon
Agbebire acknowledged that the ongoing construction of a new terminal to replace Terminal 1 has reduced available operational space at the airport.
However, he assured passengers that a temporary terminal facility is expected to be completed by the second week of January to ease pressure on existing infrastructure.
He said FAAN has also strengthened passenger support services by deploying a dedicated augmentation team across key areas of the airport.
“We deployed a dedicated augmentation team, identifiable by their shirts and jackets, to provide real-time information and queue-management support at critical touchpoints,” he said.
According to Kuku, the initiative complements FAAN’s core customer service operations, improves first-contact resolution and helps reduce passenger anxiety during busy travel periods.
In addition, FAAN is working closely with other agencies operating at the airport to ensure smoother passenger processing.
Source: Getty Images
Agbebire said the authority has engaged in high-level coordination with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to streamline procedures and reduce delays.
He added that the inter-agency collaboration aligns with broader efforts to enhance passenger experience and maintain efficient airport operations during peak travel seasons.
FAAN reaffirmed its commitment to providing safe, orderly and seamless airport services while protecting passengers from inconvenience and unethical practices throughout the festive period.
FAAN kicks off cashless payment system at airports
Legit.ng earlier reported that FAAN kicked off its cashless payment system at Nigerian airports with a pilot phase in Lagos and Abuja.
The new payment method is expected to boost FAAN’s revenue, with a target of nationwide expansion in Q1 2025.
The cashless system will be implemented at access gates, car parks, and lounges and FAAN is targeting full implementation by the first quarter of 2026.
Source: Legit.ng
