The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced the resolution of its operational disagreement with Bolt, clearing the e-hailing company to resume services at FAAN-managed airports.
The development followed what FAAN described as constructive engagements between both parties to establish an agreeable and sustainable operational framework for e-hailing services within the airports.
In a statement issued on Thursday by FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, the Authority also apologised to passengers for the inconvenience and increased costs experienced during the temporary disruption of e-hailing services.
According to FAAN, the disagreement was rooted in challenges associated with commercial and e-hailing vehicles operating within the airport environment, including passenger solicitation, touting, unregulated operations, random pick-ups and concerns relating to safety, security and accountability.
The Authority said it had been working for nearly a decade to address these challenges and introduced the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) to improve structure, visibility and accountability in the operations of authorised airport car-hire services.
FAAN clarified that ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing application and was not designed to compete with Bolt, Uber or other mobility platforms. Rather, it is a system for managing airport car-hire ranks and authorised operations associated with them.
The Authority also dismissed suggestions that it had introduced new airport taxi fares through ACHRAMS.
“Airport taxi fares have existed independently of the application, and the rates themselves were not substantially different from those previously applicable,” FAAN said.
It explained that ACHRAMS merely provided greater visibility and transparency around prevailing airport taxi rates, making the cost more readily apparent to passengers.
FAAN acknowledged, however, that the comparison between the airport taxi fares and the lower fares passengers had become accustomed to through e-hailing platforms heightened public concern.
The Authority said its actions during the dispute were driven by regulatory, safety and security considerations rather than economic interests, but admitted that the immediate impact on passengers was significant.
“We sincerely apologise for the difficulties this caused our passengers,” FAAN said.
Following the resolution, Bolt has been cleared to commence its services at FAAN-managed airports immediately.
FAAN added that it remains engaged with other e-hailing operators and expressed confidence that outstanding discussions with them would be concluded in the coming days.
The Authority further reaffirmed that passengers are free to choose from available transportation options that best meet their needs, while FAAN’s responsibility is to ensure that authorised services operate within a safe, secure, orderly and accountable airport environment.
FAAN thanked the travelling public for their patience and understanding, assuring passengers that safety, security, convenience and the overall airport experience remain central to its decisions.
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