FAAN Denies Responsibility For Uber Exit, Reveals Airport Transport Concerns

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has denied responsibility for the exit of ride-hailing company Uber from Nigeria, saying the decision was based on the company’s own economic and regulatory considerations.

Uber ended its ride-hailing operations in Nigeria on September 2, 2026, after 12 years of providing services in the country.

Speaking in Lagos, FAAN Managing Director, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, said the authority could not determine the reasons behind Uber’s withdrawal but noted that the company must have considered its own business environment before taking the decision.

Kuku spoke during the second induction ceremony and unveiling of the montage of honourees at the Nigeria Aviation Hall of Fame, themed: “The Next Generation of Aviation Leaders: Talent, Technology and Global Competitiveness.”

She explained that FAAN’s responsibility remained focused on ensuring passenger safety and improving the travel experience at Nigerian airports.

According to her, the authority had received several complaints during the December holiday period concerning poor experiences involving some e-hailing platforms and airport car-hire operators.

She said some passengers reported cases involving intimidation, unexpected changes in destinations and other unpleasant encounters while using some transport services.

Kuku said FAAN also experienced disagreements with some e-hailing companies over issues relating to driver responsibility, safety obligations and dedicated airport pickup locations.

She stated that some drivers operating under e-hailing platforms allegedly entered airport environments and joined existing car-hire operators to charge passengers higher fares.

“What was important for FAAN was to ensure that we addressed passenger concerns,” Kuku said.

The FAAN boss explained that the authority introduced the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) to provide better oversight and visibility over airport transport operators.

She stressed that FAAN does not own the vehicles or collect payments on behalf of drivers but only provides a regulated environment where passengers can identify authorised transport providers.

Kuku added that airport car-hire services naturally charge higher fares because their business model involves transporting passengers to and from airports, unlike app-based ride services.

She noted that passengers remain free to choose between pre-booked vehicles, e-hailing platforms or airport car-hire services.

The FAAN managing director also revealed that one of the major challenges between the authority and e-hailing companies was the question of liability when safety issues occurred.

According to her, while e-hailing companies requested dedicated pickup zones at airports, FAAN expected them to accept responsibility for drivers operating through their platforms.

She said the companies argued that many drivers were independent contractors rather than direct employees, leaving questions over who should bear responsibility when passenger safety concerns arise.

Kuku maintained that FAAN’s objective was not to restrict transportation options but to ensure passengers had confidence, security and accountability when using services within airport facilities.

Ubercs departure marks the end of more than a decade of operations in Nigeria, where the company competed with other ride-hailing platforms including Bolt and local transport services.