The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the deployment of a contactless biometric passenger verification system, VPASS, across domestic airports to strengthen security, improve data accuracy, and enhance revenue tracking.
Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, disclosed the move during the signing of the concession agreement for the project.
Keyamo said the VPASS system will address inconsistencies in passenger data caused by varying airline records and curb unauthorised boarding.
He noted that the technology will ensure all domestic air travellers are properly identified, closing loopholes that allow individuals to bypass standard identification procedures.
According to the Minister, while strict identity checks already exist for international flights, VPASS will extend similar verification standards to domestic travel.
He added that the system will later be expanded to private aviation, further tightening security oversight across the sector.
The initiative is part of broader reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability, and safety in Nigeria’s aviation industry.
Implementation will begin with infrastructure rollout by the concessionaire, followed by a nationwide awareness campaign to drive compliance.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission played key roles in advancing the project.
FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Adebola Agunbiade, said the system will reduce reliance on physical ID checks through facial recognition, enabling smoother passenger processing.
Meanwhile, Johnson Ewalefoh, Director-General of the ICRC, described the initiative as a critical public-private partnership effort to improve infrastructure and national security.
Adebayo Bankole, Managing Director of VERXID Technologies Limited, said the system will deliver a secure, integrated identity management platform to enhance verification, reduce unauthorised movement, and support revenue assurance through accurate data analytics.
With VPASS set for rollout, the government is positioning Nigeria’s aviation sector for smarter, more secure, and technology-driven operations.
