LAGOS, Nigeria — Restrictions placed on e-hailing operations at airports did not drive Uber out of Nigeria, according to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
Okay News reports that FAAN Managing Director Olubunmi Kuku addressed journalists at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on September 4, 2026, stating that the company’s departure was a independent business decision.
The statement followed FAAN‘s decision on August 29, 2026, to temporarily prohibit e-hailing drivers from making commercial pick-ups at its airports while licensing agreements were finalised. The agency introduced its own airport e-hailing platform, ACHRAMS, following complaints from passengers regarding safety and pricing exploitation during the December 2025 holiday period.
“I work for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and my first responsibility is to ensure that our passengers are safe, protected and have a seamless passenger experience,” Kuku said. “Regarding Uber, I can’t speak to their exit from Nigeria. I’m sure they have their own economic and regulatory considerations as to why they chose to exit.”
Kuku stated that negotiations between FAAN and e-hailing companies had stalled primarily due to liability clauses regarding driver conduct. The authority requested that the platform operators accept legal responsibility for the safety and actions of drivers operating at the facilities, which the companies declined.
“One of the issues we were struggling with the e-hailing companies over was largely around liability clauses,” Kuku said. “But we also wanted them to take responsibility for the drivers. However, we were told that those drivers are not Uber’s drivers; rather, they are independent drivers.”
FAAN maintained that its platform was developed strictly to ensure passenger visibility regarding car-hire companies and drivers operating within airport boundaries.
