FAAN to Change Domestic Air Travel with New Facial Recognition System

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is launching V-Pass, a new identity verification system. This system uses biometrics to make domestic air travel quicker and safer.

FAAN developed V-Pass with M/S Verxid Technologies Limited. Passengers will be able to confirm their identities using facial recognition. This means they will not need to rely on physical ID documents at airports.

Both FAAN and Verxid Technologies discussed the rollout during a meeting. They talked about how to deploy the system, security measures, and how to improve the passenger experience.

FAAN said this initiative shows they want to use technology to better passenger facilitation and aviation security at domestic airports. With V-Pass, travellers will get a secure digital identity after a one-time registration process.

Nigerian passengers will register using their National Identification Number (NIN) and facial biometric capture. Foreign passengers will use their international passports for registration through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and biometric checks. The system will verify passengers before they enter restricted areas and again before boarding.

This two-step verification aims to stop impersonation, unauthorized access, and identity fraud. It will also give security agencies more confidence in passenger verification. During the rollout, passengers will have the option to use self-service kiosks or receive help from FAAN staff.

E-Gates will automate access to restricted areas, cut down queues, and improve how passengers move through the airport. Developers say that biometric processing will take less than 30 seconds after enrolment. First-time registration will take about one minute. V-Pass will also allow airlines to access flight schedules, passenger lists, and boarding statistics through a digital platform.

FAAN will have a Central Management System to track passenger movements, create analytics, and support future links with other airport systems. FAAN and Verxid emphasized that data privacy is a key part of this project.

The system follows the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR). Passenger data will not be saved on kiosks or handheld devices. Before the full rollout, FAAN and Verxid plan to start a nationwide awareness campaign.

This campaign will use TV, radio, social media, airport announcements, and airline messages to help passengers know how V-Pass works. There will also be a live demonstration and technical assessment before the complete launch.

FAAN says V-Pass is part of its larger plan to go digital. By combining biometric technology with modern access control, FAAN aims to create a smarter, safer, and more efficient airport system for domestic travellers.