FAAN drops physical ID checks for domestic flights, introduces facial recognition

Domestic air travellers will no longer need to present physical identification documents at airports, as FAAN begins rolling out a biometric verification system called V-Pass.

The system uses facial recognition to confirm passenger identities, replacing the traditional manual ID checks. Passengers will enrol once, Nigerians using their NIN and facial biometrics, and foreign travellers using their international passports via optical character recognition and biometric authentication.

FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs, Henry Agbebire, said the system will verify passengers at two points: before entering restricted areas and again just before boarding. The dual check is designed to prevent impersonation, unauthorised access, and identity fraud, while giving security agencies greater confidence in passenger authentication.

During rollout, travellers can use self-service kiosks or get assistance from FAAN staff. E-gates will automate access to controlled zones, cutting queues and speeding up passenger flow. Developers say biometric processing takes less than 30 seconds after enrolment, with first-time registration taking about one minute.

Airlines will also get secure access to flight schedules, passenger manifests, and boarding statistics through a digital platform. FAAN, meanwhile, will use a Central Management System to track passenger movement, generate analytics, and enable future integration with other airport systems.

FAAN and its technology partner, Verxid, said data privacy is a core concern. The system complies with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, and passenger data will not be stored on kiosks or handheld devices.

Before full deployment, FAAN plans a nationwide sensitisation campaign across TV, 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 conducted ahead of the rollout.