Alleged Cash Collection at Owerri Airport Toll Raises Questions Over Compliance with Federal Directive
Alleged Cash Collection at Owerri Airport Toll Raises Questions Over Compliance with Federal Directive
By Naomi Onome
Concerns have been raised over alleged continued cash collection at the access toll gate of Sam Mbakwe Owerri Airport despite a federal directive reportedly suspending such transactions at airport toll points across the country.
A traveller, Comrade Prince Saviour Iche, the president of the Ambassadors of Peace and Enlightenment Foundation (AMPEF), who recently passed through the Sam Mbakwe Owerri airport, claimed that officials at the toll gate were still demanding cash payments from motorists, contrary to the policy intended to stop cash transactions. The traveller said the directive had already been implemented at the Lagos airport, where vehicles were allowed to pass through without paying cash.
According to the account, the incident occurred while the Iche was heading to catch an early-morning flight. Iche’s driver was stopped at the Sam Mbakwe Owerri airport toll point and asked to make a payment. When Iche questioned the officials and referenced the federal government’s directive prohibiting cash collection, the officers allegedly insisted that the directive had been lifted and proceeded to demand payment.
Iche further alleged that although one of the officials presented a payment card system, the officials claimed their electronic payment machine was not functioning and continued to collect cash from motorists. Due to the urgency of catching the flight, the driver was allowed to proceed to drop the passenger at the terminal and later returned to settle the payment.
Afterward, the driver reportedly confirmed that he paid ₦1,000 in cash at the toll point. Iche also claimed that the toll rate had recently been increased from earlier charges, citing information displayed on a banner at the airport indicating a new fare implemented from March 1, 2026.
To verify compliance with the directive, Comrade Iche later observed operations at the Lagos airport on March 11, 2026, and reported that no toll collection was taking place there, with motorists reportedly passing freely without making any payment.
The development has raised questions about whether the directive suspending toll collection is being applied uniformly across airports in the country.
Comrade Iche urges the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other relevant authorities to investigate the situation at the Owerri airport tollgate and ensure compliance with Federal Government policies.
According to the IChe, evidence including recorded footage, photographs of posted toll rates, and copies of payment tickets issued to motorists have been gathered and may be submitted to the appropriate authorities for further review.
Stakeholders have urged FAAN to clarify the policy regarding toll collection at airport access roads and to ensure that any directive issued by the federal government is fully implemented at all airports nationwide.
