Tinubu and Shettima to Pay Airport Toll Fees Alongside Public: FEC Decision

By Iyojo Ameh

President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima are now mandated to pay toll fees at the nation’s airports, alongside the general public.

The decision was reached during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

FEC approved the cessation of exemptions previously granted to airport users from tollgate fees, following a memorandum presented by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo.

The minister noted that the government was experiencing a substantial revenue loss of over 82% due to the lack of fee collection from users utilizing the e-tags for tollgate access.

Initially, the memorandum proposed exemptions only for the president and vice president.

However, President Tinubu directed that both himself and Vice President Shettima be included in the list of individuals required to pay the toll fees, overriding the initial proposal.

Speaking with journalists after the FEC meeting, Mr. Keyamo expressed regret that individuals classified as Very Important Persons (VIPs) who possess the financial means to pay had been exempt from toll fees, while only ordinary citizens were charged.

He emphasized the need to rectify this imbalance, asserting that all users must now contribute to the maintenance and operation costs of airport facilities with immediate effect.