The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has rejected claims that its recent restrictions on e-hailing operations at Nigerian airports contributed to Uber’s decision to exit the country.
FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, said Uber’s departure was a business decision based on the company’s own economic and regulatory considerations.
Kuku spoke with journalists on Friday at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, following FAAN’s temporary suspension of commercial pick-ups by e-hailing drivers at its airports.
The restriction, announced a week earlier, was linked to the ongoing process of finalising licence agreements with e-hailing operators.
The decision had generated speculation that FAAN was attempting to limit Uber and other e-hailing platforms in favour of its newly introduced airport e-hailing platform, ACHRAMS.
Kuku, however, dismissed the suggestion, saying FAAN’s intervention was driven by complaints from passengers about their experiences with some e-hailing and car-hire operators at airports.
“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.”
Addressing Uber’s exit, she said FAAN could not speak for the company or determine the reasons behind its decision to leave the Nigerian market.
“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.”
Kuku said FAAN had received numerous complaints, particularly during the December holiday period, involving passengers who used e-hailing and car-hire services.
According to her, the complaints included intimidation, passengers being taken to unintended locations and other incidents that raised concerns about safety and accountability.
She also alleged that some drivers using e-hailing platforms exploited the airport environment by presenting themselves as legitimate e-hailing operators before working with car-hire operators to charge passengers higher fares.
“We also had situations where some Uber and Bolt drivers would get out of their cars under the guise of coming into the airport as e-hailing drivers, and then join the car-hire operators to charge higher fares.”
The FAAN boss said the complaints made it necessary for the authority to strengthen regulatory oversight of commercial transport operators within airport premises.
She explained that the airport e-hailing platform introduced by FAAN was designed to give passengers clearer information about the companies and drivers transporting them.
“The app that was developed was strictly focused on ensuring that passengers have visibility into who the car-hire companies are and who the driver taking them from Point A to Point B is.”
Kuku stressed that FAAN does not operate the car-hire services or collect fares from passengers on behalf of drivers.
“FAAN does not collect money on behalf of the drivers. Those car-hire drivers are not FAAN drivers.”
She added that passengers remained free to choose between pre-booking a vehicle, using an e-hailing platform or hiring a car at the airport.
The disagreement between FAAN and e-hailing companies, she explained, also centred on the issue of liability and responsibility for drivers operating through the platforms.
According to Kuku, e-hailing companies had requested dedicated pick-up areas at airports, and FAAN was prepared to provide them. However, the authority wanted the companies to accept greater responsibility for the conduct and safety of drivers using their platforms.
She said the companies maintained that the drivers were independent contractors rather than their employees, creating a major point of disagreement.
“One of the issues we were struggling with the e-hailing companies over was largely around liability clauses.”
Kuku said FAAN was uncomfortable with a situation where passengers would be directed to use safety features provided by an e-hailing platform while the company declined responsibility for the conduct of the drivers.
She also rejected suggestions that FAAN’s policies caused Uber to leave Nigeria, noting that the company had been considering its exit for some time.
“So, it has nothing to do with FAAN. Again, the airport is just a small part of the wider area in which they operate within Nigeria.”
The FAAN position comes amid continued debate over Uber’s departure from the Nigerian market and the regulatory challenges facing ride-hailing companies operating across the country.
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