Uber, Bolt not banned at Nigerian airports, says FAAN

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it has not imposed a blanket ban on e-hailing services such as Uber and Bolt at the nation’s airports.

The management of FAAN gave the clarification in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.

FAAN, however, said that discussions were ongoing with operators to establish a workable framework for their operations.

It said that the position on e-hailing services was not intended to restrict passengers’ access to transportation options or undermine the convenience provided by the platforms.

The authority said that its primary concern was to ensure that commercial transportation activities within airport premises complied with safety, security and operational requirements.

It said that airports were highly regulated environments, requiring all commercial transportation providers to have an appropriate framework that gave the airport authority visibility over their vehicles, drivers and operations.

FAAN said that such framework was also necessary to ensure effective coordination in the event of security or passenger-related incidents.

It explained that the requirement was particularly important because of the volume of passenger movement at airports.

FAAN said that there was the need for transportation providers operating within the environment to be identifiable, accountable and integrated into the airport’s operational and security structure.

It also clarified that its Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) platform, unveiled by the authority was not an e-hailing application.

FAAN said that ACHRAMS was developed primarily to provide operational visibility and tracking within the airport environment, while facilitating the management of applicable concession and related airport charges.

It said that complaints had been received, and it had observed operational challenges associated with commercial transportation activities within and around airport premises, including passenger solicitation and touting.

The authority said that the concerns had made it necessary to establish a clear framework for managing commercial transportation services at airports.

“The authority have been engaging relevant e-hailing operators to develop a mutually acceptable operational framework that will recognise the value of service.

“FAAN is addressing the safety, security, accountability and passenger-experience requirements of the airport environment.

“The current situation should therefore not be misconstrued as FAAN declaring a blanket prohibition on e-hailing services,” it said.

According to FAAN, the ongoing engagement is aimed at ensuring that e-hailing services can continue to serve passengers within a framework that meets airport operational requirements.

It acknowledged the convenience and additional transportation choices provided by platforms such as Uber and Bolt; however, it recognised concerns from passengers who might experience inconvenience during the resolution of the issues.

FAAN said that it was keen to conclude the discussions with the operators expeditiously.

It said that the outstanding issues included passenger safety and security, operational visibility, accountability and the management of pick-up activities within airport premises.

The authority expressed confidence that a mutually acceptable agreement would be reached shortly.

It reiterated that actions taken were guided by the need to protect passengers and provide a safe, secure, orderly and seamless airport experience.

FAAN said that it remained committed to working with Uber, Bolt and other mobility providers to ensure that passengers continued to have safe and convenient transportation options at Nigerian airports.