FAAN To Roll Out Facial Recognition System For Domestic Air Travellers

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced plans to introduce a biometric identity verification system, known as V-Pass, across domestic airports to strengthen aviation security and improve passenger processing.

The new platform, developed in partnership with Verxid Technologies Limited, will use facial recognition technology to verify passengers’ identities, enabling seamless access through security checkpoints and boarding gates without relying on physical identification documents.

FAAN disclosed the initiative in a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, following a strategic meeting with Verxid Technologies to review deployment plans, security measures and strategies for enhancing passenger experience.

According to the authority, the V-Pass project forms part of its ongoing digital transformation programme aimed at improving operational efficiency while maintaining high aviation security standards.

FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Adebola Agunbiade, described the initiative as another milestone in the agency’s efforts to deploy innovative technology across Nigeria’s domestic airports.

She explained that Nigerian travellers would complete a one-time registration using their National Identification Number (NIN) alongside facial biometric capture, while foreign passengers would register with their passports through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) supported by biometric authentication.

The authority said passengers would undergo identity verification before entering restricted airport areas and again before boarding their flights. The dual-verification process is designed to prevent identity fraud, impersonation and unauthorised access to airport facilities while strengthening confidence in passenger authentication.

Verification will be available through self-service kiosks or with assistance from trained FAAN personnel. The rollout will also include electronic access gates to automate entry into controlled areas, reduce queues and improve passenger movement within airport terminals.

According to the developers, first-time enrolment is expected to take about one minute, while subsequent biometric verification will take less than 30 seconds.

Beyond passenger processing, the V-Pass platform will provide airlines with secure digital access to flight schedules, passenger manifests and boarding statistics.

FAAN assured passengers that the system complies fully with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), stressing that data protection remains a key component of the project.