Airport policies didn’t drive Uber out of Nigeria, says FAAN

Olubunmi Kuku, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), has clarified that the agency's restrictions on e-hailing operations at airports did not lead to Uber's exit from the Nigerian market. During an interview at Muritala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, Kuku emphasized that the decision to leave was a business choice for Uber, and the FAAN's main focus was to protect passengers and ensure a seamless travel experience.

Earlier this month, FAAN temporarily halted e-hailing drivers from conducting commercial pick-ups at its airports while finalizing and executing license agreements. This move led to speculation that the restriction on e-hailing operators was intended to make way for FAAN's newly introduced e-hailing platform, ACHRAMS. However, Kuku stated that the agency's intervention came after receiving numerous complaints from passengers about unpleasant experiences with e-hailing and car-hire services during the December holiday period.

She mentioned that the complaints ranged from intimidation to passengers being dropped off at unintended locations, with some incidents involving more serious infractions. Kuku also revealed that some e-hailing drivers had exploited the airport system by posing as legitimate operators before switching to car-hire services to charge passengers higher fares.

FAAN introduced an app aimed at improving transparency by enabling passengers to identify the car-hire companies and drivers transporting them to their destinations. The app's primary goal was to provide passengers with visibility into who was transporting them within the airport environment. Kuku further clarified that FAAN neither operated the car-hire services nor collected payments on behalf of the drivers.

She also addressed concerns over the high costs of airport car-hire services, attributing the higher fares to the business model of the operators rather than FAAN's policies. The disagreement between FAAN and e-hailing companies primarily revolved around liability and responsibility for the drivers operating on their platforms. While the companies requested dedicated pick-up zones at the airports, FAAN expected them to accept responsibility for the conduct and safety of drivers.

Kuku emphasized that FAAN was uncomfortable with the companies relying on safety features provided by their platforms while declining responsibility for the drivers. She dismissed suggestions that FAAN's policies contributed to Uber's decision to exit Nigeria, as the company had been considering leaving for some time.