FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, said the agency’s measures affecting e-hailing operators at airports were introduced primarily to improve passenger safety, strengthen accountability and tackle touting.
Kuku made the clarification on Friday while addressing journalists at the airport, stressing that protecting travellers and ensuring a smooth airport experience remained FAAN’s foremost responsibility.
She said Uber’s decision to discontinue its Nigerian operations was a corporate matter and that only the company could explain the factors behind its withdrawal.
“I work for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and my first responsibility is to ensure that our passengers are safe, protected, and have a seamless passenger experience.
“Regarding Uber, I can’t speak to their exit from Nigeria. I’m sure they have their own economic and regulatory considerations as to why they chose to exit.”
The clarification comes amid controversy over FAAN’s recent restrictions on commercial pick-ups by e-hailing drivers at airports under its control.
The agency had temporarily suspended such operations while arrangements for the completion and implementation of licensing agreements were being finalised.
The move attracted criticism from some quarters, with concerns raised that the restriction could favour FAAN’s newly introduced Airport Car Hire and Ride Management System, known as ACHRAMS.
Kuku, however, dismissed such concerns, explaining that the agency’s intervention followed a series of complaints from passengers about their experiences with some e-hailing and car-hire operators at airports.
She said FAAN received numerous complaints, particularly during the December holiday period, involving alleged intimidation, inappropriate drop-off points and other incidents that raised questions about passenger safety.
The FAAN chief also alleged that some drivers affiliated with e-hailing platforms had exploited existing airport arrangements by posing as legitimate e-hailing operators before joining conventional car-hire operators to charge travellers higher fares.
She said the reported practices, coupled with persistent complaints about touting within airport premises, prompted FAAN to tighten its oversight of transportation services operating at the terminals.
According to her, the agency’s objective is not to interfere with the commercial decisions or day-to-day operations of private companies but to ensure that transportation services within airport environments meet required safety and accountability standards.
Her comments come shortly after Uber announced its decision to end operations in Nigeria after 12 years.
The ride-hailing company said it would cease its Nigerian operations on September 2, following an internal review of its business.
Uber did not provide detailed reasons for its withdrawal, saying only that the decision followed an assessment of its operations in the country.
The development has renewed discussions around the regulation of e-hailing services at Nigerian airports, particularly as travellers increasingly rely on ride-hailing platforms for transportation to and from airport terminals.
