FAAN RESTORES BOLT SERVICES AT NIGERIAN AIRPORTS AFTER REACHING AGREEMENT

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has cleared ride-hailing company Bolt to resume operations at airports under its management, following discussions aimed at resolving concerns surrounding its activities within airport premises.

FAAN announced the development on Thursday, bringing an end to the temporary disruption that had affected passengers who relied on Bolt for transportation to and from airports. The authority said it reached an operational agreement with the company after engagements focused on safety, security, accountability and orderly transportation services.

The development followed public concerns over the suspension of e-hailing services at FAAN-managed airports. Travellers had complained about limited transportation options and increased fares after the suspension of services by major ride-hailing operators.

FAAN explained that its actions were driven by the need to establish a proper operational framework for commercial transport providers operating within the highly regulated airport environment. The authority said such a framework was necessary to ensure that drivers and vehicles are identifiable and accountable while improving passenger safety.

The authority also clarified that its Airport Car Hire Rank Management System, ACHRAMS, was not introduced to compete with e-hailing platforms. Instead, FAAN said the system was designed to provide better operational visibility and accountability for commercial transportation activities at airports.

FAAN further denied claims that it had introduced or fixed a new ₦30,000 taxi fare for passengers travelling from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. It said the fare highlighted in recent public discussions was not newly imposed by the authority.

The airport authority apologised to passengers for the inconvenience caused during the period of disruption and said it appreciated the patience and understanding of travellers.

While Bolt has now been cleared to resume operations, FAAN said discussions with other e-hailing companies are still ongoing and are expected to be concluded in the coming days.

The latest agreement is expected to restore more transportation options for air travellers while allowing FAAN to maintain tighter oversight of commercial and ride-hailing services operating within airport environments