The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has cleared Bolt to resume e-hailing services at airports under its management, following a temporary disruption that caused inconvenience and higher transportation costs for passengers.
The development was contained in a statement issued on Thursday, August 27, 2026, and signed by FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire.
The decision followed disruptions to e-hailing services at airports on Wednesday, August 26, amid the implementation of the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) for commercial airport pick-ups.
FAAN said it had reached an agreement with Bolt on an operational framework following constructive engagements between both parties.
“The Authority is therefore pleased to announce that, following constructive engagements, FAAN and Bolt have reached an agreeable operational framework and Bolt is cleared to commence its services at FAAN-managed airports immediately.”
The Authority said discussions with other e-hailing operators were still ongoing and expressed confidence that outstanding issues would be resolved in the coming days.
FAAN also acknowledged concerns from passengers over increased transportation costs and the inconvenience experienced during the temporary interruption of e-hailing services, apologising for the difficulties caused.
The Authority maintained that its actions were driven by regulatory, safety and security considerations rather than economic interests.
According to FAAN, the resolution with Bolt demonstrates that airport authorities can protect the integrity and security of the airport environment while preserving the convenience and freedom of choice offered by e-hailing services.
FAAN reiterated that passengers remain free to choose their preferred transportation options, provided authorised operators function within a safe, secure, orderly and accountable airport environment.
FAAN said it had spent nearly a decade addressing challenges associated with commercial and e-hailing vehicles operating within airport environments.
The Authority identified passenger solicitation and touting, unregulated operations, random pick-ups and concerns over safety, security and accountability among the major challenges.
It said some drivers operate across multiple platforms, making it necessary to strengthen the management and visibility of commercial transportation services at airports.
To address these issues, FAAN introduced the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System, known as ACHRAMS, as a queue-management and airport transportation system designed to provide greater structure, visibility and accountability for authorised airport car-hire services.
FAAN stressed that ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing application and was not designed to compete with Bolt, Uber or other mobility platforms.
The Authority also said it supports healthy competition and does not intend to create or promote a monopoly in airport transportation.
FAAN said the airport taxi fares highlighted during the recent controversy were not newly imposed by the Authority or introduced through ACHRAMS.
According to the Authority, the fares existed independently of the system and were not substantially different from rates previously applicable at the airports.
FAAN said ACHRAMS merely introduced greater visibility and transparency around prevailing airport taxi rates, making the costs more apparent to passengers.
It acknowledged that comparing those fares with the lower prices passengers had become accustomed to through e-hailing platforms understandably heightened public concern.
The latest development follows reports on Wednesday that passengers arriving at Nigerian airports were experiencing difficulties accessing e-hailing services.
Some passengers reportedly struggled to secure Uber or Bolt rides within the airport environment and were instead directed to airport taxi operators, with some reporting significantly higher fares.
Reports cited fares of between N55,000 and N70,000 for trips from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) to Lekki Phase 2, compared with about N25,000 to N35,000 previously charged through e-hailing services.
Other reports indicated that airport taxi operators were demanding as much as N30,000 for trips to the Ikeja business district, compared with about N8,000 previously offered by e-hailing drivers.
However, checks on Wednesday found that some e-hailing services were still operating around the airport.
An Uber driver contacted during the checks said he received an MMIA pick-up request through the regular Uber Driver application and proceeded with the trip without using ACHRAMS.
The driver said Uber fares are generally calculated based on distance, with the cost estimated at about N250 per kilometre before waiting time and delays are factored in. He added that fares can rise to about three times the normal rate during surge periods.
Etiese Umoh, who works around an air-cargo logistics hub serving MMA1, MMA2 and GAT, also said normal ride-hailing pick-ups and drop-offs were continuing around the area.
However, the drivers contacted were not operating through ACHRAMS. This is significant because drivers who do not regularly pick up passengers from FAAN-managed airports may not have been familiar with the system or its requirements.
Their continued ability to receive requests through regular e-hailing applications therefore does not necessarily mean drivers operating under the airport’s new framework were unaffected by the disruption.
A week before the latest development, FAAN announced plans to establish a new operational framework for Uber, Bolt and other e-hailing services operating at its airports.
The Authority said the framework was designed to improve passenger safety, security, accountability, operational visibility and orderly pick-up arrangements while allowing e-hailing platforms to continue serving passengers.
FAAN also cited complaints about passenger solicitation and touting, alongside other operational challenges, and said e-hailing operators needed to be properly integrated into the airport’s operational and security framework.
With the latest agreement, Bolt has now been cleared to resume operations at FAAN-managed airports, while discussions with other e-hailing operators remain ongoing.
Boluwatife Enome
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