In a significant shift, the President, Vice President, and other top government officials will now be required to pay access fees at all federal airports. This decision, announced by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Management, aims to generate revenue and eliminate exemptions previously granted to VIPs.
During a two-day meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it was decided that there would be no more exceptions to the rule. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo (SAN) explained that the decision was made to curb financial losses resulting from these exemptions, which have been significant.
Keyamo stated that the Federal Government had been losing 82 per cent of the projected N10 billion revenue from airport tollgates due to these exemptions. He emphasized the need to end the tradition where VIPs were not required to pay for access fees, parking, or other essential services at airports.
The Council directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to send out a service-wide circular on the cancellation of the exemption, indicating that the President and Vice President had also agreed to pay these fees. Keyamo highlighted the importance of raising revenue through the sale of e-tags, which would now be available to all, including VIPs.
In addition to this decision, the Council approved a memorandum for the procurement of aircraft recovery equipment at N4.2 billion. However, the Cybercrime levy, set at 0.5 per cent for some electronic transactions, has been suspended for review following public outrage. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, confirmed the suspension, stating that the levy is undergoing a review process.
