Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has cleared ride-hailing platform Bolt to resume operations at all its airports. The decision came after both parties reached an operational agreement, following days of passenger outrage over soaring transport costs and a temporary ban that left travellers stranded and paying exorbitant fares.
The controversy began when FAAN suspended e-hailing services, including Bolt and Uber, to enforce its new Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS), a queue-management platform designed to bring structure to airport transport. The disruption triggered a major backlash. A viral video showed a passenger at Lagos airport being quoted N30,000 for a trip to Ikeja, a journey that typically costs between N6,000 and N8,000. For the same route, Bolt had listed N6,900, while UberX showed N4,200. Passengers took to social media, calling the fares "exploitation" and a "rip-off".
In a statement on Thursday, FAAN's Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, apologised for the inconvenience. He said the authority had "listened, reflected and made the necessary adjustments". FAAN also dismissed claims that it fixed the taxi fares. It said airport taxi fares "have existed independently" and that ACHRAMS only made them more visible. The authority insisted its actions were driven by safety and security concerns, not commercial interests. It said it had been dealing with issues like touting and unregulated pickups for nearly a decade.
FAAN stressed that ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing app and is not meant to compete with Bolt or Uber. It also said it does not seek to create a monopoly. Following the agreement, Bolt is cleared to resume operations immediately. FAAN said it remains in discussions with other e-hailing operators. Bolt did not immediately comment on the terms of the agreement.
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