The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has cleared Bolt to resume operations at airports under its management following an agreement on a new operational framework for e-hailing services.
FAAN announced the development on Thursday, days after clarifying that it had not imposed a blanket ban on e-hailing platforms such as Bolt and Uber at Nigerian airports.
The authority said its decision followed constructive engagements with Bolt, which resulted in an operational framework considered acceptable to both parties.
According to FAAN, the agreement demonstrates that airport security and operational integrity can be maintained while allowing passengers to retain the convenience and freedom of choice offered by e-hailing platforms.
“FAAN is aware of and deeply appreciates the concerns expressed by passengers over the increased cost and inconvenience experienced during the temporary interruption of e-hailing services,” the authority said.
“We sincerely apologise for the difficulties this caused our passengers.”
FAAN explained that its actions were motivated by regulatory, safety and security considerations rather than economic interests, but acknowledged that the temporary disruption had a significant impact on travellers.
“With the necessary adjustments” made after listening to passengers’ concerns, the authority said Bolt had now been cleared to commence services at FAAN-managed airports immediately.
The agency added that discussions with other e-hailing operators were ongoing and expressed confidence that the outstanding engagements would be concluded in the coming days.
FAAN reiterated that passengers are free to choose from available transportation services according to their individual needs.
It, however, stressed that all authorised transport providers must operate within a safe, secure, orderly and accountable airport environment.
Why FAAN introduced tighter airport transport controls
The latest development follows concerns over the management of commercial and e-hailing vehicles at airports, an issue FAAN said it had been working to address for nearly a decade.
According to the authority, the challenges include passenger solicitation and touting, unregulated operations, random passenger pick-ups, as well as safety, security and accountability concerns.
FAAN said the situation was further complicated by instances where drivers operated across multiple e-hailing platforms, prompting the authority to strengthen the management and visibility of commercial transportation within airports.
It introduced the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) as part of efforts to address those challenges.
However, FAAN clarified that ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing application and was never created to compete with Bolt, Uber or other mobility platforms.
“Its function is limited to the management of airport car-hire ranks and the authorised operations associated with them,” the authority said.
FAAN also rejected suggestions that it was attempting to establish a monopoly in airport transportation, saying it supports healthy competition among operators.
FAAN explains airport taxi fares
The authority also addressed concerns surrounding airport taxi fares, stressing that the rates recently highlighted in public discussions were not newly imposed by FAAN or introduced through ACHRAMS.
FAAN said airport taxi fares existed independently of the system and were not substantially different from rates that had previously applied.
According to the agency, the role of ACHRAMS was to improve visibility and transparency around existing airport taxi rates, thereby making the cost clearer to passengers.
FAAN acknowledged that the comparison between those fares and the lower prices passengers had become accustomed to through e-hailing platforms contributed to public concerns during the disruption.
The authority thanked passengers for their patience and understanding while efforts were made to establish what it described as an agreeable and sustainable framework for e-hailing services.
It assured travellers that their safety, security, convenience and overall airport experience would remain central to its decisions.
