FAAN: No Blanket Ban on Uber, Bolt at Airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has clarified that it has not imposed a blanket ban on Uber, Bolt or other e-hailing services at Nigerian airports. In a statement issued on Thursday, the authority said its ongoing discussions with e-hailing operators are aimed at developing a framework that ensures passenger safety, security and orderly airport operations. FAAN explained that airports are highly regulated environments and commercial transport providers must operate within a system that allows vehicles and drivers to be identified, monitored and held accountable. The clarification follows reports and public concerns over restrictions affecting e-hailing services at some FAAN-managed airports, including the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. FAAN also addressed concerns surrounding its Airport Car Hire Rank Management System, ACHRAMS, a digital platform introduced to modernise airport ground transportation, improve passenger safety and support cashless operations. The authority stressed that ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing application and was not designed to compete with Uber, Bolt or other mobility platforms. Instead, FAAN said the system provides operational visibility and tracking within airport premises while helping manage applicable concession and related charges. The authority said it had also identified challenges involving commercial transportation around airports, including passenger solicitation and touting, prompting the need for clearer rules governing airport transport services. FAAN said it is currently engaging Uber, Bolt and other operators to establish a mutually workable framework that addresses safety, accountability, passenger experience and the management of pick-up activities. The authority acknowledged that some passengers may have experienced inconvenience during the process but expressed confidence that the discussions would soon produce an acceptable arrangement. FAAN reiterated that its goal is not to restrict passengers' transportation choices, but to ensure that e-hailing services operate safely and within the airport's security and operational framework.

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