Minister Festus Keyamo Authorizes VPASS Biometric Deployment To Standardize Security And Data Across Nigerian Domestic Airports

Minister Festus Keyamo signs VPASS concession to bring contactless biometric verification to Nigeria’s domestic airports, boosting security and revenue.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 10, 2026, 4:19 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Nation Newspaper Ltd.

National Mandate For Contactless Passenger Verification

The Federal Government has formally authorized the deployment of VPASS, a contactless biometric passenger verification system, across all domestic airports in Nigeria. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the move during the signing of a strategic concession agreement. This initiative represents a core component of the ministry’s agenda to modernize aviation security infrastructure, ensuring that data integrity and passenger safety are prioritized within the domestic sector.

Eliminating Discrepancies In Airline Passenger Records

A primary objective of the VPASS system is to rectify persistent inconsistencies in passenger data provided by various airlines. Minister Keyamo explained that the software will prevent unauthorized boarding and close existing loopholes that allow individuals to bypass standard identification procedures. By centralizing verification, the government aims to ensure that every individual on a domestic flight is accurately identified, mirroring the stringent protocols currently reserved for international departures.

Expansion To Private Aviation And Oversight

Beyond commercial domestic flights, the ministry intends to scale the biometric system to cover private aviation operations. This expansion is designed to provide a comprehensive security umbrella over the entire Nigerian airspace, promoting higher levels of transparency and accountability. The project is framed as a holistic reform that will eventually integrate all flight manifests into a singular, verifiable biometric database to ensure no segment of the industry operates without proper oversight.