Touting, solicitation, and informal begging by airport personnel have continued to tarnish the image of Nigeria’s aviation gateways, despite repeated campaigns by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to eradicate the practice. The problem persists largely because several of the security agencies operating at Nigerian airports do not fall under FAAN’s direct authority, creating a complex web of control and accountability.
A Nigerian resident in the United States, Mrs. Charles, recently shared a personal experience that highlighted the severity of the issue. She travelled to Nigeria in January 2025 for her mother’s burial, accompanied by a British friend. Upon arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, she recounted that they were approached by various uniformed officials seeking “something small.” She explained that she had not yet exchanged her foreign currency for naira and repeatedly attempted to explain this. Her British companion, unfamiliar with the norms of Nigerian airport culture, laughed and questioned why government employees would openly solicit money while on duty. Mrs. Charles admitted feeling deeply embarrassed, particularly because the behaviour confirmed negative stereotypes about Nigeria’s public institutions lacking discipline and national pride.
For many years, travellers and aviation experts have criticised the manual baggage inspection process carried out by security agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service. These checks, typically performed in open areas within the terminal, are widely regarded as outdated, slow, and susceptible to abuse. The environment, stakeholders argue, allows officials to subtly (and sometimes openly) request money before completing inspections.
The issue drew renewed national attention when Senator Osita Izunaso raised it on the Senate floor. He urged the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, to take decisive action against the inappropriate conduct of certain Customs, Immigration, and other uniformed officers at airports. According to him, the behaviour does not merely inconvenience travellers it actively damages Nigeria’s reputation among investors and foreign visitors.
FAAN’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, has publicly condemned begging and touting within airport premises, calling it unprofessional and unacceptable. To modernise security processes and reduce human interference, FAAN began installing advanced scanning systems, including high-resolution baggage scanners and full-body imaging machines. These devices were expected to replace physical bag searches and minimise opportunities for extortion or solicitation.
However, progress has not been smooth. When the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, visited the airport to inspect the equipment, discussions with FAAN leadership occurred behind closed doors. No official statement was released afterward. A source familiar with the meeting revealed that disagreements over jurisdiction, insufficient staff training on the new machines, and the need for dedicated operational rooms for monitoring delayed the removal of manual inspection tables.
Aviation analyst and retired Air Force officer, Group Captain John Ojikutu, argued that lasting reform requires restructuring airport security so that all agencies work under a single coordinated command. Without unified control, he said, overlapping authority will continue to hinder efficiency.
Another aviation veteran, retired pilot Muhammed Badamasi, added that the culture of asking travellers for money reflects a broader societal problem. According to him, unless supervisors enforce discipline and penalize misconduct, begging will persist as a normalized behaviour.
Efforts to reach FAAN’s spokesperson, Henry Agbebire, for comments were unsuccessful.
