FAAN, Bolt reach truce on operational framework at airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and e-hailing service provider, Bolt, have reached an agreement on an operational framework, and the company has been cleared to commence its services at FAAN-managed airports immediately.

A statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr Henry Agbebire, said the resolution demonstrates that it is possible to protect the integrity and security of the airport environment while preserving the convenience and freedom of choice that e-hailing services provide to passengers.

The statement added that FAAN remains engaged with other e-hailing operators and is confident that the outstanding discussions will be concluded in the coming days.

“FAAN reiterates that passengers remain free to choose from available transportation options that best meet their needs. Our responsibility is to ensure that whichever authorised service they choose operates within a safe, secure, orderly and accountable airport environment.

“The Authority thanks the travelling public for its patience and understanding and assures passengers that their safety, security, convenience and overall airport experience remain at the centre of FAAN’s decisions,” the statement added.

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According to the Authority, for nearly a decade, FAAN has been working to address challenges arising from the activities of commercial and e-hailing vehicles within the airport environment, including increasing cases of passenger solicitation and touting, unregulated operations, random pick-ups, and associated safety, security and accountability concerns.

FAAN stated that these challenges, which in some instances involve drivers operating across more than one platform, have made it necessary for the Authority to strengthen the management and visibility of commercial transportation within the airport.

“It was in response to these concerns that FAAN introduced ACHRAMS (Airport Car Hire Rank Management System), a queue-management and airport transportation management system designed to bring greater structure, visibility and accountability to the operations of authorised airport car-hire services.

“ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing application and was never conceived as a competitor to Uber, Bolt or any other mobility platform. Its function is limited to the management of airport car-hire ranks and the authorised operations associated with them.

“FAAN supports healthy competition and does not seek to create or promote a monopoly in airport transportation,” the agency emphasised.

The statement also clarified that the fares highlighted in some of the recent public discussions were not rates newly imposed by FAAN or created by ACHRAMS.

It stressed that airport taxi fares had existed independently of the application and that the rates themselves were not substantially different from those previously applicable.

“What ACHRAMS introduced was greater visibility and transparency around the prevailing airport-taxi rates, making the cost more readily apparent to passengers. FAAN recognises, however, that the comparison with the lower fares passengers had become accustomed to through e-hailing platforms understandably heightened public concern,” it added.