Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has officially unveiled a biometric facial recognition system, known as V-Pass, which will phase out the use of physical identification documents for domestic air travel across the country. The announcement, made on Thursday, July 16, 2026, marks a significant milestone in the authority's ongoing digital transformation agenda, aimed at enhancing passenger processing, strengthening airport security, and improving the overall travel experience. The new system, developed in partnership with Verxid Technologies Limited, will allow passengers travelling through domestic airports to verify their identities using facial recognition technology at automated electronic gates, eliminating the need to present physical ID cards during check-in and boarding.
FAAN's Director of Commercial and Business Development, Adebola Joy Agunbiade, explained that the V-Pass platform will provide every traveller with a secure digital identity through a one-time enrolment process. "There's no more going to be having to use your physical ID to go to the check-in or when it's time to go through the boarding gate," Agunbiade said. "Once I check in for my flight, I get to the e-gate, I'm recognised using my biometrics, which is my face. If I forget my ID at home, as long as I have been registered and onboarded on the V-Pass platform, I really don't need that. My identification is my face". Nigerian passengers will register using their National Identification Number and facial biometric capture, while foreign passengers will enrol using international passports through Optical Character Recognition and biometric authentication.
The system will verify passenger identities at two critical stages of the travel process — before they gain access to restricted airport areas and again before boarding their flights. This dual-verification process is designed to prevent impersonation, unauthorised access and identity fraud, while giving security agencies greater confidence in passenger authentication. According to FAAN, passengers will be able to complete the verification process either through self-service kiosks or with assistance from trained FAAN personnel. The deployment will also include electronic gates to automate access into controlled areas, reduce queues and improve passenger movement across airport terminals.
The new system promises significant improvements in processing efficiency. According to the developers, biometric verification will take less than 30 seconds after enrolment, while first-time registration is expected to take about one minute. The V-Pass platform will also provide airlines with secure digital access to flight schedules, passenger manifests and boarding statistics, while FAAN will benefit from a Central Management System that tracks passenger movement, generates operational data and supports future integration with other airport technology platforms.
FAAN has stressed that data protection and privacy remain central to the project. The authority confirmed that the platform fully complies with the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, and passenger biometric information will not be stored on registration kiosks or handheld devices used during passenger verification. Before the nationwide deployment begins, FAAN and Verxid Technologies Limited plan to launch an extensive public awareness campaign across television, radio, social media, airport announcements and airline advisories to help passengers understand how V-Pass works. A live Proof of Concept demonstration and technical site assessment will also be carried out before full rollout.
The authority, however, did not disclose when the facial recognition system would be deployed across domestic airports or announce a timeline for the commencement of passenger enrolment. Despite this, the unveiling of the V-Pass system marks a significant step forward in Nigeria's efforts to modernise its aviation sector and align with global best practices in airport security and passenger facilitation. The initiative is part of FAAN's broader digital transformation agenda aimed at building a smarter, safer and more efficient airport system for domestic travellers.
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