By Epiphanus Obia
Nigeria’s Federal Government has approved the rollout of a biometric passenger verification system, known as VPASS (Verified Passenger System), across domestic airports to strengthen identity checks and aviation security.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the initiative in a statement issued through his spokesperson, describing it as part of ongoing reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency in the aviation sector.
The VPASS platform will use facial recognition technology to verify passengers, replacing manual identification processes that authorities say have been prone to abuse. Officials say the system is designed to ensure that all domestic air travellers are properly identified, addressing gaps that have allowed cases of unauthorised boarding and inconsistencies in passenger records.
The deployment will be handled by VERXID Technologies Limited, which will provide an integrated identity management platform across airports. Implementation will begin with infrastructure rollout, followed by a nationwide sensitisation campaign targeting airlines, airport authorities, and passengers.
Key aviation agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, are supporting the project under a public-private partnership arrangement.
According to FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Adebola Agunbiade, the system will reduce reliance on physical identification and enable seamless passenger processing through contactless verification.
Officials say VPASS will also improve revenue tracking by ensuring accurate passenger data and reducing human intervention in airport processes. The system is expected to align domestic aviation operations with international standards, where biometric verification is already widely used.
The government added that the platform will eventually be extended to private aviation operations to strengthen oversight across the broader air travel ecosystem.
The rollout builds on earlier digital transformation efforts in the sector, including the planned deployment of electronic gates at international airports in cities such as Abuja and Lagos.
Authorities say the introduction of VPASS marks a shift toward a technology-driven aviation system aimed at improving security, reducing inefficiencies, and modernising passenger experience across Nigeria’s airports.