The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced that ride-hailing company Bolt can resume operations across all airports under its management following the resolution of operational issues between both parties.
The authority also apologised to travellers for the inconvenience caused by the temporary suspension of e-hailing services, acknowledging the concerns raised by passengers over transportation challenges and increased costs.
In a statement issued on Thursday by FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, the agency clarified that it does not regulate or fix airport taxi fares, dismissing claims that recent fare increases were imposed by the authority.
According to FAAN, the introduction of the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) was aimed at addressing long-standing challenges associated with commercial and e-hailing vehicle operations within airport premises. These challenges include passenger solicitation, touting, unregulated activities, random pick-ups, and security concerns.
The authority explained that ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing platform and was never designed to compete with operators such as Bolt or Uber. Rather, it serves as a management system intended to improve accountability, visibility, and orderliness in airport transportation services.
FAAN further noted that airport taxi fares existed long before the deployment of ACHRAMS and that the system merely provided greater transparency by making existing rates more visible to passengers.
The agency admitted that passengers were understandably concerned when comparing airport taxi fares with the generally lower rates offered by e-hailing platforms. It, however, stressed that its actions were guided by safety, security, and regulatory considerations rather than economic interests.
Following discussions with Bolt, FAAN confirmed that both parties had agreed on an operational framework that allows the company to immediately resume services at FAAN-managed airports.
The authority said the agreement demonstrates that airport security and operational standards can be maintained while preserving passengers’ freedom to choose their preferred transportation options.
FAAN added that it remains in talks with other e-hailing operators and expects outstanding issues to be resolved in the coming days.
Reaffirming its commitment to passenger welfare, the authority assured travellers that all authorised transport providers operating within airport environments would continue to be monitored to ensure safety, security, accountability, and convenience.
FAAN thanked the travelling public for their patience and understanding during the disruption and pledged to keep passengers’ interests at the centre of its decisions.
