BY MERCY ODEH (Content Editor)

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is set to revolutionise domestic air travel with the introduction of V-Pass, a biometric identity verification system that will enable passengers to verify their identities through facial recognition, reducing dependence on physical identification documents at airports.

The initiative, developed in partnership with Verxid Technologies Limited, was reviewed during a strategic meeting between both organisations, where deployment plans, security measures and passenger experience enhancements were discussed.

Speaking on the project, FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Ms. Adebola Agunbiade, said the introduction of V-Pass underscores the Authority’s commitment to leveraging technology to improve passenger facilitation and strengthen aviation security across Nigeria’s domestic airports.

She explained that the system would provide travellers with a secure digital identity through a one-time enrolment process.

Under the new arrangement, Nigerian passengers will register using their National Identification Number (NIN) alongside facial biometric capture, while foreign travellers will enrol with their international passports through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and biometric authentication.

According to FAAN, passengers will undergo biometric verification before gaining access to restricted airport areas and again before boarding their flights.

The Authority noted that the dual-verification process is designed to eliminate impersonation, prevent unauthorised access and curb identity fraud, while providing security agencies with greater confidence in passenger authentication.

To ease adoption during the rollout phase, passengers will have the option of using self-service kiosks or receiving assistance from FAAN personnel.

The system will also introduce electronic gates (E-Gates) to automate access to controlled areas, reduce queues and improve passenger flow within airport terminals.

Developers disclosed that once passengers are enrolled, biometric verification will take less than 30 seconds, while first-time registration is expected to be completed in about one minute.

Beyond passenger processing, V-Pass will provide airlines with secure digital access to flight schedules, passenger manifests and boarding statistics, while FAAN will operate a Central Management System capable of monitoring passenger movement, generating operational analytics and supporting future integration with other airport technologies.

FAAN and Verxid Technologies assured that data privacy remains a key component of the project, stressing that the system complies with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR). They added that passengers’ biometric data will not be stored on kiosks or handheld devices.

Ahead of the nationwide deployment, both organisations plan to embark on an extensive public sensitisation campaign across television, radio, social media platforms, airport public address systems and airline communication channels to educate travellers on the use and benefits of the new technology.

A live Proof of Concept demonstration and technical site assessment will also be conducted before the system is fully deployed.

FAAN said the introduction of V-Pass forms part of its broader digital transformation agenda aimed at building a smarter, safer and more efficient airport ecosystem for domestic air travellers in Nigeria.