The Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo has announced that the exemptions for Very Important Persons (VIPs) and government officials over airport access tolls and parking fees would be scrapped, marking a shift in policy.
This was disclosed during Tuesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.
The memorandum presented initially recommended an exemption for the President and Vice President. However, President Tinubu overruled this recommendation, insisting that he, along with Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima and their aides, would pay tolls like everyone else.
Keyamo highlighted the revenue loss of over 82% due to VIPs evading toll payments, emphasizing that this burden fell disproportionately on ordinary citizens. He expressed determination to end this disparity, stating that VIPs must contribute their fair share.
In addition to toll payment enforcement, Keyamo addressed issues of harassment by uniformed officers at airport gates. He pledged to install more surveillance cameras strategically to monitor and deter such behavior.
The move is expected to generate an estimated annual revenue of N10 billion from toll collections, with considerations also being made for a rebate program for military vet
“Our memo says ‘with the exception of the President and the Vice President’. But the President overruled me and said he and the Vice President will pay, he said everybody will pay,” Keyamo revealed.
About VIPs,he said:
“They don’t pay the access fees. They don’t pay for parking, they don’t pay for essential services at airports, and they are VIPs.
“And I told myself on my team, I said not under my watch. It will not happen,”
