The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced the rollout of V-Pass, a biometric identity verification system designed to expedite domestic air travel while enhancing safety and operational efficiency.

Developed in partnership with Verxid Technologies Limited, the system employs facial recognition technology to verify passenger identities, reducing dependence on physical identification documents at airports.

The announcement was contained in a statement issued by FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire.

According to the statement, the rollout strategy was reviewed during a strategic meeting between FAAN and Verxid Technologies Limited, where both parties discussed deployment timelines, security protocols and measures to improve the passenger experience.

FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Adebola, said the initiative underscores the authority’s commitment to leveraging technology to enhance passenger facilitation and strengthen aviation security across domestic airports.

Under the V-Pass system, travellers will receive a secure digital identity through a one-time enrolment process.

“Nigerian passengers will register with their National Identification Number (NIN) and facial biometric capture, while foreign passengers will enrol using international passports through optical character recognition (OCR) and biometric authentication,” the statement read. “The system will verify passengers before they enter restricted areas and again before boarding.”

FAAN explained that the dual-verification process aims to prevent impersonation, unauthorised access and identity fraud, while providing security agencies with greater confidence in passenger authentication.

During the rollout phase, passengers will be able to use self-service kiosks or receive assistance from FAAN personnel.

The authority added that electronic gates (E-Gates) will automate access to controlled areas, reduce queues and improve passenger flow. According to the developers, biometric verification will take less than 30 seconds after enrolment, while first-time registration is expected to take approximately one minute.

The V-Pass platform will also provide airlines with secure access to flight schedules, passenger manifests and boarding statistics through a digital interface.

FAAN noted that the system includes a Central Management System capable of tracking passenger movement, generating analytics and supporting future integration with other airport technologies.

The authority and Verxid Technologies Limited emphasised that data privacy remains a critical component of the project.

According to the statement, the system complies with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), and passenger data will not be stored on kiosks or handheld devices.

Ahead of full deployment, FAAN and Verxid plan to undertake a nationwide sensitisation campaign across television, radio, social media platforms, airport announcements and airline advisories to educate passengers on the V-Pass system.

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

Adebola said V-Pass forms part of FAAN’s broader digital transformation agenda.

FAAN added that by combining biometric technology with modern access control systems, it aims to build a smarter, safer and more efficient airport experience for domestic travellers.