The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has cleared Bolt to resume e-hailing services at all FAAN-managed airports after resolving operational issues that caused a temporary disruption.
This was contained in a statement by Henry Agbebire, FAAN, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection.
For nearly a decade, the Authority has worked to address challenges linked to commercial and e-hailing vehicles, including passenger solicitation, touting, unregulated operations and random pick-ups.
FAAN said some drivers operate across multiple platforms, making stronger management and visibility of commercial transport necessary at airports.
FAAN introduced the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) to improve queue management, visibility and accountability among authorised airport car-hire operators.
FAAN stressed that ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing app and was never designed to compete with Bolt, Uber or other mobility platforms. The system only manages airport car-hire ranks and authorised operations.
The Authority said it supports healthy competition and does not intend to create a monopoly in airport transportation.
FAAN also clarified that the airport taxi fares discussed during the dispute were not new rates imposed by the Authority or created by ACHRAMS. It said the fares existed independently of the system and were not substantially different from previous rates.
FAAN acknowledged that making the existing airport-taxi fares more visible through ACHRAMS drew attention to the difference between those fares and the lower prices passengers had become used to on e-hailing platforms.
The Authority said it understood passengers’ concerns about higher transport costs and the inconvenience caused by the temporary suspension of e-hailing services.
FAAN, however, apologised for the difficulties experienced by travellers.
In response, FAAN said it had listened to passengers, reviewed the situation and made necessary adjustments.
The Authority announced that it had reached an agreeable operational framework with Bolt following constructive engagements. Bolt is therefore cleared to resume services at FAAN-managed airports immediately.
Meanwhile, FAAN said the agreement with Bolt shows that airport security and regulatory requirements can coexist with passenger convenience and freedom of choice.
The Authority said it remains in talks with other e-hailing operators and expects to conclude the outstanding discussions in the coming days.
FAAN reiterated that passengers can choose from available transport options that meet their needs, provided authorised operators comply with safety, security, order and accountability requirements.
The Authority thanked passengers for their patience and understanding, adding that their safety, security, convenience and overall airport experience remain central to its decisions.
