The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has denied claims that its disagreements with e-hailing operators contributed to Uber’s decision to withdraw its ride-hailing services from Nigeria.
FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, said the global ride-hailing company’s exit is based on its own economic and regulatory considerations and has nothing to do with the airport authority.
Kuku spoke on Friday, while addressing concerns surrounding FAAN’s relationship with e-hailing companies operating within Nigerian airports.
“I can’t speak to Uber’s exit from Nigeria. I am sure they have their own economic and regulatory decisions as to why they chose to exit,” she said.
According to the FAAN boss, the authority’s engagement with e-hailing and car-hire operators has largely focused on passenger safety, accountability and the need to provide travellers with a seamless experience at airports.
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Kuku said FAAN received several complaints from passengers, particularly during the December holiday period, concerning their experiences with some e-hailing and car-hire operators.
She said the complaints included allegations of intimidation, excessive charges and cases in which passengers were reportedly taken to destinations different from those they requested.
According to her, the concerns also led to disagreements between FAAN and some e-hailing companies over responsibility and liability for drivers operating on their platforms.
Kuku explained that while FAAN agreed to provide designated pickup areas for e-hailing services at airports, the authority expected the companies to accept responsibility for drivers using their platforms.
“One of the things we struggled with was liability. They wanted dedicated pickup zones, which we agreed to, but when it came to taking responsibility for drivers, they maintained that the drivers were independent contractors and not employees of Uber,” she said.
“That created a major concern for us because of the safety issues being reported by passengers.”
She said FAAN subsequently introduced the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) to improve the identification, monitoring and accountability of transportation operators within airport environments.
Kuku also clarified that FAAN does not collect payments on behalf of drivers and does not compel passengers to use airport-approved car-hire services instead of e-hailing platforms.
“The choice remains with the passenger. Our responsibility is simply to ensure that those operating within the airport environment can be identified and monitored for safety purposes,” she added.
Her comments followed Uber’s formal withdrawal from Nigeria after 12 years of operations, with the company’s exit taking effect on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
Uber launched its services in Lagos in 2014 before expanding its presence in the Nigerian ride-hailing market.
The company attributed its withdrawal to a review of its business operations and expressed appreciation to Nigerians who used its platform while apologising for the disruption its exit could cause.
The withdrawal also came amid a broader global restructuring by the company, which reportedly includes plans to cut about 3,300 jobs as part of efforts to streamline its operations and simplify its management structure.
