FAAN has denies causing Uber’s Nigeria exit and cited passenger safety disputes.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has denied claims that its policies or disagreements with e-hailing operators were responsible for Uber’s decision to discontinue operations in the country.
FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, said on Friday that Uber’s exit was based on the company’s economic and regulatory considerations, stressing that the airport authority played no role in the decision.
“For Uber, I can’t speak to their exit from Nigeria. I am sure they have their own economic and regulatory decisions as to why they chose to exit,” Kuku said.
Uber ended its ride-hailing operations in Nigeria on September 2, 2026, after 12 years in the market.
The company said the decision followed a thorough review of its business but did not disclose the specific factors behind its withdrawal.
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Kuku explained that Nigerian airports represent only a small part of Uber’s former operational footprint in the country.
“It has nothing to do with FAAN. The airport is just a small jurisdiction of the area that they cover within Nigeria,” she said.
The FAAN chief spoke on the sidelines of the second induction ceremony and unveiling of the montage of honourees at the Nigeria Aviation Hall of Fame in Lagos.
The event was themed “The Next Generation of Aviation Leaders: Talent, Technology and Global Competitiveness.”
FAAN Received Passenger Complaints
Kuku said the authority’s priority was to protect passengers and ensure a seamless travel experience at Nigerian airports.
According to her, FAAN received numerous complaints, particularly during the December holiday period, about passengers’ experiences with some e-hailing drivers and airport car-hire operators.
She said the complaints included alleged intimidation, excessive fares and passengers being taken to locations other than their intended destinations.
“We did receive a lot of concerns, especially around the December holiday period, about passengers who used some of the e-hailing services and even the car-hire services, who had very terrible experiences,” Kuku stated.
“Some of them went all the way from intimidation to being dropped in other places and even more extreme situations.”
Kuku also alleged that some drivers associated with Uber and Bolt entered airports as e-hailing operators but subsequently joined car-hire drivers in soliciting passengers and charging higher fares.
She said the reported incidents prompted FAAN to strengthen regulatory oversight of ground transportation services operating within airport premises.
Driver Liability Created Disagreement
The FAAN managing director disclosed that the authority also had disagreements with some ride-hailing companies over responsibility for drivers and the management of dedicated pickup zones.
According to her, FAAN agreed to provide dedicated areas for e-hailing operators but wanted 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.”
Kuku explained that e-hailing companies preferred passengers to use safety features available within their applications rather than accept broader corporate responsibility for driver conduct.
She said FAAN considered this position inadequate in light of complaints received from travellers.
Passengers Retain Choice of Transport
Kuku said the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System was introduced to improve identification, visibility and accountability among transport providers operating at airports.
She stressed that FAAN does not determine the fares charged by drivers, collect money on their behalf or compel passengers to use a particular transport service.
“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 said.
According to Kuku, passengers remain free to pre-book vehicles, use e-hailing platforms or patronise airport car-hire operators.
Uber launched in Lagos in 2014 before expanding to other Nigerian cities. Its exit came amid rising operating costs, inflation, currency volatility and increased competition in the country’s ride-hailing market, although the company has not publicly attributed its decision to any specific factor.
