FAAN Clears Bolt to Resume E-Hailing Services at Nigerian Airports
FAAN clears Bolt to resume airport e-hailing services
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has cleared Bolt to immediately resume e-hailing services at airports under its management after reaching an operational agreement with the ride-hailing company.
The decision follows a temporary disruption that triggered complaints from passengers over increased transportation costs and reduced mobility options at airports. FAAN said the agreement followed discussions aimed at addressing safety, security and accountability concerns surrounding commercial and e-hailing vehicles operating within airport premises.
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FAAN Reaches Operational Agreement With Bolt
FAAN said Bolt can resume operations at all FAAN-managed airports after both parties agreed on an operational framework.
The authority also apologised to passengers for the inconvenience caused by the temporary interruption and acknowledged concerns over increased transport costs during the disruption.
FAAN said it remains in discussions with other e-hailing operators and expects outstanding issues to be resolved in the coming days.
Safety and Security Concerns Drove Airport Restrictions
According to FAAN, the authority has been addressing challenges associated with commercial and e-hailing vehicles at airports for nearly a decade.
The concerns include passenger solicitation, touting, unregulated operations, random pick-ups and difficulties around safety, security and accountability. FAAN also cited situations involving drivers operating across multiple e-hailing platforms.
The authority said these challenges made stronger management and monitoring of commercial transportation within airport environments necessary.
ACHRAMS Remains Part of Airport Transport Management
FAAN introduced the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System, known as ACHRAMS, as part of its response to these challenges.
The authority described ACHRAMS as a queue-management and airport transportation management system designed to improve the organisation, visibility and accountability of authorised airport car-hire operations.
FAAN stressed that ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing application and was not designed to compete with Bolt, Uber or other mobility platforms.
FAAN Denies Setting Airport Taxi Fares
The authority also addressed concerns over airport taxi fares that emerged during the disruption.
FAAN said the fares highlighted in recent public discussions were not newly introduced by the authority or created by ACHRAMS. According to FAAN, airport taxi fares existed independently of the system.
The authority said ACHRAMS simply provided greater visibility around existing airport taxi rates. It acknowledged, however, that comparisons between those fares and the lower prices passengers had become accustomed to through e-hailing platforms contributed to public concern.
Resumption Restores Passenger Transport Options
The return of Bolt is expected to restore another transport option for passengers using FAAN-managed airports.
The temporary disruption had raised concerns about convenience and transportation costs, particularly for passengers who relied on app-based services instead of conventional airport taxis.
FAAN said the agreement demonstrates that airport authorities can maintain security and accountability while preserving passengers' access to e-hailing services.
Airport Mobility Has Wider Economic Implications
Reliable airport transportation plays an important role in business travel, tourism and movement between airports and urban centres.
For Nigeria's commercial property and hospitality sectors, convenient airport connectivity can also influence the attractiveness of locations surrounding major airports.
Hotels, offices, short-let properties and other businesses that depend on regular passenger movement can benefit from predictable and accessible transportation options.
Other E-Hailing Operators Remain in Discussions
FAAN said discussions with other e-hailing companies are continuing.
The authority said it expects the outstanding engagements to conclude in the coming days, while reiterating that passengers remain free to choose from authorised transportation services that meet their needs.
The outcome of those discussions could determine whether a more consistent framework emerges for e-hailing companies operating across Nigeria's airports.
Outlook
FAAN's decision to clear Bolt to resume airport operations ends the immediate disruption affecting the platform and restores e-hailing as an available transport option at FAAN-managed airports.
The development also highlights the need to balance airport security, operational control and passenger convenience as app-based transportation becomes more integrated into Nigeria's urban mobility system.
With discussions continuing with other operators, the next step will be establishing a sustainable framework that allows e-hailing companies to operate within airports while meeting FAAN's requirements for safety, accountability and orderly transportation.
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