The Federal Government has signed a concession agreement with VERXID Technologies Limited for the deployment of a contactless biometric passenger verification system, known as VPASS, across Nigeria’s domestic airports, in a move officials say is aimed at tightening aviation security, improving passenger data integrity and boosting revenue assurance in the sector. The agreement was signed in Abuja by Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo on April 9, according to official government and media reports.
The Ministry of Aviation said the new system is intended to eliminate discrepancies in passenger records caused by inconsistent airline data and to address cases of unauthorised boarding. Keyamo said VPASS would ensure that all domestic passengers are properly identified before travel, closing loopholes that have allowed some travellers to bypass standard verification procedures. He added that while strict identity checks are already common on international routes, the new platform will extend similar standards to domestic operations.
The minister also said the system would later be expanded to cover private aviation, widening security oversight beyond scheduled domestic flights. According to Premium Times, Keyamo said the concession followed regulatory clearance from the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Executive Council, giving the project a broader legal and policy backing.
Officials say implementation will begin with infrastructure deployment by the concessionaire, followed by a nationwide sensitisation campaign to prepare passengers and operators for the transition. At the signing ceremony, FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Adebola Agunbiade, described VPASS as a strategic step that would reduce reliance on physical identification at airports. She said the use of secure facial recognition technology would enable more seamless passenger processing in line with global best practice.
The project is also being framed as part of a broader technology-driven overhaul of Nigerian aviation. Mahmud Kambari, permanent secretary at the ministry, said the government remains committed to using digital solutions to improve efficiency, passenger experience and safety. Johnson Ewalefoh, director-general of the ICRC, said public-private partnerships remain essential for strengthening airport infrastructure and national security, while VERXID Managing Director Adebayo Bankole said the company would deploy a secure integrated identity management platform capable of improving passenger verification and curbing unauthorised movement within airport facilities.
If successfully deployed, VPASS could mark one of the most significant changes in domestic air travel processing in Nigeria in years. The government is presenting it not only as a security reform, but also as a transparency and accountability measure in a sector where passenger identity management and revenue leakages have long raised concern.
